Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-08-20
IEpORTANT E1ILITARY ORDER Retaliation and Retributicn Directed

RIcHmoyD, August 2.-Important general order No. 54, from the Adjutant and Inspector Generals office, vii! be published on Monday.
 The first article states that the following order is published fir the information and observance of all concerned. The second reiteratcs the order is, sued by the Secretary of War of the United States directing military commanders that the government will seize the property, real and personal, belong ing to the inhabitants of this Confcdcracy, and states no provisions are made for any compensation to the owners of private property thus seized.
 The third article quotes Gen. Pope's recent or der for the arrest of all disloyal male citizens who to be required t9 take the oath of allegiance, or be conducted beyond the lines, etc. The fourth article recites the order of Gen. Steiauhr for the arrest of five of the most prominent citizens of Page county Va. to be held as hostages and sui fer death in event any soldiers of said Steiauhr being shot by bush-whackers, by which terms are meant citizens of thia Confedcracy who have taken up arms to defend their homes and families The other three articles are as fllows:
 Whereas, it results from the above order that some of the military authorities of the United States, not content with the unjust, aggressive warfare heretofore waged with savage cruelty against an unotfending people, exasperated by the failure of their efforts to subiugate them, have now determined to violate all rules and usaees of war; and convert the hoslities hitherto waged against armed forces into campaign of robbery and mur- der against pnarued citizens and peaceful tillers of the soil.
 Whereas, this government, bound by the high est obligations of duty to it's citizens is thus dri ven to the necessity of adopting such measures of retributon and retaliation as shall seem adequate 10 reprcss and punish these balbarities Whereas. the orders above reeited have only been published i aHd made known to this government since the sig natures to the cartel for the exchange of prisoners ot war, whichartei, in far 1t provides for an exchange C. prisoners hereafter captured, would never have 6ecI signed or agreed to bv this gov ernment, if the intention to change the war into a system Of ndscriminate murder and robbery, had been made known to it.
 Whereas, just regard to humanity fortida that the repression Of crime which this government is thus compelled 10 enforce, ehoud be unnecessarily extended to retaliation on the enlisted in the army of the United States who may let untoiling instru- ments of the savage cruelty of of their comman- ders so long as there s hope that the excesae4 of the enemy may be check ed or prevented by retri button on commissioned officers who have the power to avoid guilty action by refusing service under government which seeks their aid in the perD.tration of such infamous barbarities.
 Therefore II Is ordered that Major Genl Pope, Brig. Gen. S.einuhr and all commissioned officers serving under their respective commands, be, and they are hereby expressly and specially declared to be not entitled to be considered as soldiers, and therefore Dot to be entitled to the benefit of the cartel for the parole of future prisoners of war; Ordered further, in the event of the capture of Maj. Gen. Pope or Brig. Gen. Stenuhr, or any commissioned officer serving under them, the re- spcctive officer taken shall be held in close confne ment so long the orders aforesaid shall continue in force, and are repeated by the competent militia " authorities of the United States, and that in tn, event of the murder of any unarmed citizen or in habitant of this Confederacy, by virtue or unde pretext of any of the orders herenbefore recited whether with CT without trial, whether under pre- tence of such citizens being spies or hostages or or any other pretence, it shall be tue duty of the com mandiDg general of the forces of this Confederac. cause mediately to be hung, out ol the comrns stoned officers, prisoners as aforesaid, numbe equal to the number of our own citizens that hav' been murdered by the enemy.
 l By order,
 Signed $. COOfER, Adjutant and Inspector GenL