The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-08-04
NORTHERN PAPERS.

AZ
49, A.-.
NoRTRERN PAPERS.
ouv s,4nds would greatly chlise us by sending
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shns receive the news at the earliest memeut.
The Law or Resaliatien--An Important Or
der
The following order explains itself. day OF
retribaton ID At hand for the cutrages which have
% long characterized tae conduct of the enemy In
thsir prosecution Of the war
Apy'r aSp INSTR GES'Ls OFFICE,
Richmond. August ], 1909,
tS<nerol Orders. No. 81 The following Orders
ore published for the Information and observance OF
oil concerned:
II. EAceas by "a General Order dated ssd Jaiy
1850 tssued by the Secretary of War Of The United
Etssss under the order Of the President OF the Uni
ted asee the military commanders OF that Govern
nens within the States of Virginia, South Carolina,
Georgia Florida Alabama, Missssippi, Louisiana,
Texas, and Arkansss are directed to seize and use
any properly real or personal belonging TO the in.
haoitants OF this Confederacy. which may be neces-
sary or convenient for thetr several Scmmands and
no provison is made for any compensation 10 the
owners OF private property thus seized and mp
proprissed by the military commanders Of the
enemy
III. Aud wAsrtas. by General Order Number
Eleven, Ssued on the Esd July, lss2. by MAJ Gen
Pope. commanding tho forces Of the enemy In
Northern Virginia It Is ordered that all "comman-
ders Of any army corps, divisions bhgades. anu lie
tached commands, will proceed Immediately TO ar
rest all isloya male citizens within their lines or
within their reach in rear Of their respective com
Mands Such are willing to take the oath OF al
,egance 10 the United States aud will furnish suf
cent security for its Observance shall be permitted
TO remain at their homes and pursue in good faith
their accustomed avocations. Those WHO refuse
shall he conducted South beyond iha extreme PICK
cts Of this army and be notified tina. Ii found sgain
anywhere within lines or at any point In rear,
they will be considered spies and subjected to the
extreme rigor Of military law. If any person
having taken the cath Of allegiance as above spe-
cited be found to have violated It, be shall be
shot, ard his property seized and applied to tile
public use:
" And xhsrsas. by an order issued OF the 18th
July, 1852, by Brigadier General Steinwebr. Ma
jor William Steadihan cavalry officer OF his bri'
gade, hiss been ordered to arrest five OF the most
prcminen; citizens Of Page county, Virginia to De
held AZ hostages and TO suffer death In the event Of
any of the soldiers Of said Stepwehr being shot by
.bushwhackers- by which term are meant the CHI
of this Confedcracy who have taken up arms
TO defend their homes and families q,
" And Whereas it results from tho above orders
that some Of the military authorities OF the United
States, Dot content with the unjust aDd aggressive
warfare hitherto waged with savage cruelty ag anst
unoffending people and exasreraied by the fail
ure of their efforts TO subiuga;e theu have de
ternined violate all the rules and usages OF
and o the hostilities hitherto waged against
armed forces into a campaign OF robbery and muir
der against unarmed citizens ahd peaceful ters OF
the soil
VI And uhsreas. this Government, bound by the
highest obligations OF duty 10 its citizens, is thus
driven 10 the necessity of aGo rns such just e;i-
s1res of retribution and retaliation As shall. seem
adequate 70 repress and punish these baIbarties ;
and brk. orders above r1cifpt have only
been published and made known to this Govern.
nen since the signature Of cartel tor exchange o.
prisoners Of war. which cartel in far as II pro
viies for exchange Of prisoners hereafter cap
1uret. would never have been signed or agreed 10
by this Government Ii the intention to change the
war into a system of indscriminate murder and
robbery had been made known TO it; aud ah,rsds
lust regard TO humanity forbids that the Teprs6
sion of crime which this Government is THUS
compelled 10 enforce should he unnecessarily
extended TO retaliation on the enlisted nAen
in the army of ,ha Uaited States, who --ay be- un-
willing Instruments OF the savage cruelty OF their
commanders, long IS there is hope that the ex
cesses Of the enemy may lie checked or prevented
by relribution the commissioned officers who
have The power TO avoid guilty. acton, BY refusing
service under a Government which seeks their
aid III the preparation of such infamous barbara
ties
VII Therefore il il ordered that Maiar-G eneral
Pope, Brigadier General St-inwebr and all commits
sioned officers serving under their respective com
Esnds be, aud they are reby expressly and .pe-
eaiiy declared 10 be, cot entitled 10 be considered
as soldiers and therefore, not eutitled tn Tie benz
lit OF the cartel for the parole Of future prisoners
OF war
Ordered, further, that in the event OF the capture
Of hAjor-isner.l P.iP, or Erigader General Step
weir, or OF 4ay'eonHiissoned officer serving uGd,r
them, the pye SO taken shall De held III Close
confinement 50 iang as the orders Aforesaid siiail
continue in force and unrepeaied by the competent
military authorities of the United STATES aud that
in the event of tie murder Of any I'd citizen
.x.I,, csiE
under pre,eyt of any of the orders hereiubetore
cited. whether with OR without tria!.-whe Their
under pre;ence of such citizen being a epy or hos
tage or any other pFeteIce il shall be tie duty of
The Commanding Gene, 81 of the forces of this Con.
federacy TO Immediately to be hung out of the
commissioned officers prisoners as aforesaid num-
Der equal 10 the number of our own citizens thus
murdered by the enemy.
By order.
tSi9nedj s. COOPER,
Adjt and Irsp'r Gen1.
The following il the letter from President Davis
to Gen. Lee, instructing him to communicate the
facts in the above order to the Commander in
Caief Of the uuited States armies
LETTER OF President DAVIS.
RICHMOND. Va, July 81 1862
SIR: On the 22d of this month cartel for gen
ersi exchange of prisoners Of war signed be-
tween Major General u. H. Hill in behalf of the
Confederate States, and Major General john A. Dix,
In behalf Of the United states.
BY the terms If that cartel it Is stipulated that
f.h prisoners Of war hereafter taken .ha he dis
charged on parole I'll! exchanged.
- Scarcely had that cartel been signe1 when the
military authorities OF tbs United States nenced
L practice changing the character OF the war from
such 50 becomes civilized nations into u campaign
II indiscri,ninate robbery and murder
The general order issued by the Secretary Of
War OF the United States in the city OF Washing.
ton. On the very day that the cartel was signed in
Virginia, directs the military coEl,nanders of tba
United States 10 take the private property of our
people for The convenience snd Of their armies
without compensation.
The general order issned by Major General Pope
"n the sd of Juy the day alter tue signing of the
cartel, directs the murder of peaceful inhabi-
tants spies if found quietly t!iling the farms in
his rear, OUTSIDE Of mis- lines, and one Of his
Brgadi.r- Generals, SieiEwebr, has seized upon in
nocent and peaceful in.iibtants to be held as hos
ta2es TO the end that they may be murdered in cold
ulood il any OF his soldiers are killed by some TN.
known persoT whom lie designates az "bushwhack.
ers."
Under this state CT facts this Government has
issued the enclosed general order recognizing Gen
Pope aud his commissioned officers to be In the
position which they have chosen for themselves
that of robbers and of murderers. and not that Of
public enemies. entitled, If captured to be con-
Aidered ~ prisoners of war;
We find ourselves driven by enemies, by ca.
dy Progress, towards practice which we sbhor
ard which we yainly struggling to avoid Some
OF the military authorities of the United States
seem to suppose that better success will ATTEND
savage war; in which no quarter is 10 be given aud
no age 10 be spared than has hitherto been
secured by such hostilitles alone recognized
10 be lawful by civilized man in modern times
For the present, We rtnoince our right OF retail
Eatipn On the innocent, and shall continue 10 treat
the private enlisted soldiers of General Popes
army as prisoners Of war; but il, after notice 10
the Government al Washington Of our con lining
fepressye measures TO the punishment oaly Of