Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-04-22
Important drIer HesPectfng Wire.
Cutting, bridge Rurnfng, &c.

hallEOhuj Oens DDMONI mas lbbu6u blflu-
gent order 10 his officers in regard TO these
offences against humanity. We thank
the General heartily in behalf of the
public. tits precisely what was needed
There is no use in throwing grass at such
offenders as those referred to in this or
der.
II is the intention of Gen. DUMoNT 10
cut up the business Of bridge burning
track-ripping and wire-cutting, by the
roots. The following is copy.Of let
ter written TO one of his officers We
commend it to parties Interested:
HEADQUARTERS. u. S. FORCES,
NASHVILLE, April 8, 1862.
! Co.. --:
You desire to know what punishment
should be visited upon persons not connected
with the army, who are guilty Of throwing
trains off the railroad track, burning bridges,
ripping up the road, or cutting or iniuring
the telegraph wire. You have reference, Of
courae, TO railroads aad telegraph lines nov
being used by our army. reply that any
one guilty of such crime, if found In The act,
should not be made prisoner, but should be
shot upon the spot, and that any one suspected
of being guilty of such offence (Which il a
crime against humanity and mankind, en-.
dangering the lives of women and children,
non.combatants and citizen, aswell as that of
the soldi r., should be arrested and held for
trial by a Court Martial.
Who are TO be suspected so as to justify
holding for trial 10 the absence of positive
and immediate evidence identifying the
guilty party2
| Wien an enormous and fragrant crime is
committed, and the perpetrotor is unknown,
the common instincts of mankind seek him
among those who have given some evidence
Of being capable of such enormity have had
an opportunity of committing the crime, aud
some motive or malice for its commission.
These acts are crimes against the Govern
ment Of the United States: Murder the inno-
cent and unoffending; give aid and comfort
to the enemy, aud prove enmity TO the Union,
and are not committed by Union men, but
person who, although he may not have taken
up arms or entered the army of the rebellion,
is hostile to the government and against the
Union, is one whomay well be suspected of
such crimes as these, provided be lives or is
found near where the deed lie done, had an
opportunity of knowing it, aud has used no
means to notify us or prevent it. would,
accordingly, arrest aud hold for trial by
q Court Martial, all persons hostile to the
Union, residing or found near The place where
the injury is done when there is reason to be-
leve that they had an opportunity of know
Jog it, end used no means to prevent it,
Such persons must be taught that they must
fight bridge burners, and such like offenders
when they have an opportunity or SO faint
themselves with suspicion as to be held for
trial as the perpetrators, or as accessory to
the crime and If found guilty, upon due
proJf that they win pay the penalty with
their lives and their property.
You will doubtless find that the really
guilty party usually tries 10 keep a negro or
some irresponsible white man, who has no
character, no property to lose, and whose
life he cares not for, between him and dan
ger, hoping to escape himself by proof Of an
alibi, that he was absent when the crime
was committed, that the deed was not done
by bis own hand, Suffer not youTsel. 10 10
led asiray and put upon the wrong scent by
any such subterfuge. Such are not the class
OF persons who commit these crimes, unless
Indeed prompted to it by some wicked and
designing but cowordly traitor to his coun
try, who has influence to beguile, inveigle
and decoy, life to forfeit, as we'll as prop
erty to be condscaled, The sooner such are
taught that their lives and their properly
shall ~ the penalty Of Their crimes the better.
Persue the course then, here indicated, pro-
tect the innocent above all things, but bring
the guilty to the punish ment due to hagrant
crime This subject is not unattended with
difficulties but the innocent must not sui
fer simply because the guilty are hard TO de-
taot nor the guilty escape, simply because
they use dupes to accomplish their designs
Now as to repairing the injury
Where an injury ia done to a bridge, a rail.
road track, train or the telegraph wires,
would compel the disloyal Inhabitants
with their negroes - repair it instantly.
would enforce the order, if disobeyed, at the
point OF the bayonet, and would give the
time only necessary TO it's performance
respectfully,
L DUMoNr
Brig General Commanding.