The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-08-14
Breckenridge Advancing on New
Orleans.
Interesting Correspondence.

| country, under the penalty of mourning pun
ishment, in case they fall into the hands of
your forces. l am directed by the Secretary
! of War to inform you that such oaths will not
be regarded as obligatory, and persons who
take them will be required to render military
services. Should your Government treat the
rendition of such service by these persons, as
breach of parole, and punish it accordingly,
| this Government will resort to retaliatory meas
ures, as the only measure of compelling the
observance Of the rules of civilized warfare.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
! your obdient servant.
(Signedl r. E. LEE, Gen. Commanding.
To Maj. Gen. Mcclellan.
! HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
| Washington, Aug. 10.
Maj. General Geo. b. Mcclellan, commanding
Army Potomac:
Generdi,-I have just received from the Adi't
| Gen'ls office your letter of July Both, inclos-
| ing letter from Gen. r. E. Lee of July Dist
! The letter of Gen. Dix and Maj. Wood will
| furnish you with the proper information for
reply to Gen. Lees complaints in regard to
the treatment of prisoners at Fortress Monroe
The Government of the United States has
never authorized any extortion of oaths of al
legiance or military paroles, and has forbidden
any measures to be resorted to tending to that
end. Instead of extorting oaths of allegiance
and paroles, it has refused the application of
several thousands to be permitted to return to
their homes in the rebel States. At the same
time this Government claims to exercise the
right to arrest, to imprison or place beyond
its military lines any persons suspected of Civ
ing aid, or OF any other treason, and If per-
sons SO arrested voluntarily take the oath of
allegiance or give their military parole, and az
forwards violate their pghted faith they will
be punished according TO the laws and usages
of war. You will assure General Lee that no
H. - n.
| deter this Government from exercising its
lawful rights over both persons and property
| OF whatsoever names or character.
(Signed,) III. w. HALLEcK,
Gen.-in-Chief U. S. A.
HEADQUARTERS OF ARMY,
Washington, Aug. Z.
Gen. Lee, commanding, &c.-Gen.-Yo our
letter of July 6, was received at the Adutant
Generals office on the 14th, but supposing
from its endorsement that it required no fur
Their reply, it was filed without being shown to
the Pres't or Secy of War. l learn to-day for
the first time that such letter has been receiv-
ed, and hasten to reply. No authentic infor-
nation has been received in relation to the ex-
cution either of John Owen or Mumford, but
measures will be Immediately taken to ascer-
| tain the facts of these alleged executions of
which you will be duly informed. l need hard
| ly assure you, Gen'l, that so far as the u. S.
authorities are concerned, this contest will be
carried on in strict accordance with the laws
and usages of modern warfare, and that all ex-
cesses will be duly punished. In regard to the
burning of bridges, &C., within our lines, by
persons in disguise as peaceful citizens / refer
you to my letter Of the 22d of January last to
Gen. Price. / think you will find the views
there expressed as not materially differing
from those stated in youy letter. in re5ard TO
retaliation by taking the lives of innocent per-
sons. know of no modern warfare which
Justifies 1t except in the extreme case of war
with any uncivlized foe, who has himself first
established such q barbarous rule. The u. S.
will never countenance such proceeding un-
less forced TO do SO by the barbarous conduct
of an enemy, who first applies such a rule to
our own citizens.
lSignedl II. w. HALLEcK.
General in Chief, u. S. A.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY, c. S.,
Richmond, August 2.
To the Gen. Commanding Army of U. S..
Washington.
Genl: On the 10th of June last l was in
structed by the Secretary of War to inquire
of Major Gen. Mcclellan as to the truth of al
legged murders committed on our citizens by
officers of the United States army. The case
of VIM. b. Mumford, reported to have been
Murdered at New Orleans by order of Major
Gen. b. +. Butler, and Col. John Owen, re-
ported to have been in Missouri by order of
Major Gen. Pope, were those referred to, /
had the honor to be informed by Major Gen.
Mcclellan that he had referred these inquiries
TO his Government for reply. No answer has
as yet been received. The President of the
9. s., has since been cordially informed that
numerous other officers of the army of the
United States within the Confederacy, have
been guilty Of felonies and capital offences,
which are punishable by all the laws, human
and divine. ] am directed by him to bring TO
your notice a few of those authentic called
Newspapers received from the United States
annouce as fact that Major Gen. Hunter has
arrested slaves for the muader Of their mas
tiers, thus done all in his power to inaugurate
seryile war, which is worse than that of the
savage, was much as it snperads other horrors
to the indiscriminate slaughter of all ages,
sexes and conditions. Brig. Gen. Phelps is
reported to have initiated at New Orleans the
example OF Major Gen. Hunter on the coast of
| South Carolina Brig. Gen. G. M. Fitch is
stated in the same Journals to have murdered
in cold blood two peaceful citizens, because
! one OF his men, while invading our country
was killed by some unknown person while de-
Tending his home. | am instructed by the
President of the Confederate States, to repeat
| the inquiry relative to the case of Mumford
and TO ask whether the statements in relation
| to the action of Gen'ls Hunter, Phelps and
conduct of those Generals is sanctioned by
their Government. l am further instructed
by his excellency, the President, to give notice
that in the event OF not receiving a reply to
these enquiries within fifteen days from delivery
| of this lettea, that it will be assumed that the
alleged facts are true, and are sanctioned by
the Government of the United States. In
| such event the Government will rest the re-
| sponsibilty of the the retributon on retalitory
measures, which shall be adopted to put an
end to these merciless atrocities which now
characterize the war against the Confederate
| States.
l am most respectfully, your obedient SER
want.
r. E. LEE, Gen. Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF c. S.,
Richmond, Aug. 2.
! To the General command u. 5. A.
General: In obedience to the order of his
Excellency, the President of the c. S. A.,
have the honor to make you the following
communication: On the 22d July last car
tel for a general exchange of prisoners was
signed by Maj. Gen. John A. Dix, on behalf of
the United States, and by Maj. Gen. ID. II.
Hill, on the part of this Government. BY the
terms of that cartel it is stipulated that all
prisoners of war shall be discharged OH parole
until exchanged. Scarcely had the cartel
| been signed when the military authorities of