Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-05-16
Rebel Atrocities.

The report Of The Congressional Inycstiga-
els al MaEas, az, exposes chapter for bis'ory
which must forever aaaAe detcstable to the
memory The seccssioniSts, who there had
charge of the bodies of the Federal soldiers
killed at Bull Run. They distinguished them
selves Tor ingenuity in their brutality. The
chairman Of !be committee, Senator Wade,
says:
Inhumanity to tie living has been The lead
lug trait of the rebel leaders. but it WIS re-
served for your committee TO disclose, as a con-
rcrtcd system, Their insults to the wounded,
and their muiiiation and desccration of the
gallant dead. Oar soldiers taken prisoners ia
houorahle battle have been subjected to the
most shameful treatment.
All the considerations that inspire ehizalric
cmoIions and generous considerations for brave
men lave been disrcgarded. II is almost be-
yond belief that the men fighting ia such
cause as ours, and sustained by u Govern
mcut, which in the midst of violence and treach-
cry has given repeated evidence Of iis inds:l-
sen1c. snozld have been subjected TO treat
ucut never before resorted to by Que foreign
nation in a conflict with another All the
eourtcsies OF professional and civil life seem
to have been discarded.
History will be examined in vain for par
allcl to this rebellion against good Govern
mcnt. Loug prepared ior by ambitious men.
who rere made doHbiy confident Of success by
the sid ans caanSci Of foimer administrations
and by the bpliri that iheir plaus were unob-
81 rvrd hy niagnapialous people, they precipi-
taied the war at moment when the general
administration bad just been changed under
circumstances Df fastouuding perGdy Without
q single reasonable ground Of complaint, aud
in the face of repeated msnif.s atious Of mod
Grafton and peace on tie part Of the President
and his friends, they took up arms and declared
that they would never surrender until their re-
bgllion had been recognized, or the Institutions
established by our fathers had been destroyed
The people of the loyal States, at last convin-
ced that they could preserve their liberties only
by an appeal 10 the God Of battles, rushed TO
the standard ofthe Republic in response to the
call Of the Chief Magistrate.
Every step of this mUnslrous treason has
been marked by violence and crime. No
transgreSsion has been too great and no wrong
too startling for its leaders. They disregard
ed the sanclity Of the oaths they had taken to
support the Constitutions; thsyrepldatei all
their obligations 10 the people Of the Free
States; they deceived and betrayed their own
fellow-citizcns, and erovdeI tllSr armies with
forced lcvieS; they drove Goln their midst all
who would not yield to their despotism, or FL
ed their prisous with teen wk9 would not en-
list uodeE their Gag. They lave now crowned
the rebellion by The pcrpctraion uf deeds
scarcely known TO even savage warfare.
The Investigations of your committee have
established the fact beyond controversy. The
sfitnesses called before Us were men Of un-
doubted veracity and character. Some or them
occupy high positions in the army, and others
high positions in civil life. Differing in polit-
ical sentiments, their evidence presents a re-
markalie concurrence Of npiniun aud judg-
ment.
Our fellow countrymen, heretofore sufficient
ly impressed by the generosity and forbearance
Of the Government of the United States, and
the barbarous character Of the crusade against
it, will be shocked by the statements Of these
uuimpeached and unimpeaehaLle witnesses, and
foreign nations, must with one accord, howev-
er they have hesitated heretofore, consign to
lasting odium the authors Of crimes which. in
all their details. exceeded the worst excesses oi
the Sepcys in India.
General BeaBFegaId himself, Who on very
recent occasion, boasted that he had been con
trolled by humane feelipgs. after the battle cl
Bull Run cody proposed to hold General
Ricketts, as hostage for one OF the murder
aeFe