New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-09-18
"BUsHWIIACKlNG."

"BUSM w hANhANG"
Il il with no little satisfaction that We pub
lsh the following Proclamation of the Rebel
General now or recently commanding in Eastern
Kentucky:
HEApeuARrsRs CONFEDERATE FoRcEs,
Army oy East TEsSEssEK, Aug 20. 1901
To the Csen Of Knor County and The adjacent coHHtie' Z"
Kenfuoky
Finding that you have been deceived by the mIrepre'ents
on. of our enemies and have been Induced by them not only
10 leave your homes, but aso to resort to the eoady
tee Of bushhaeng promise you that 81 you return
quietly your and lead orderly lives will no. be
disturbed. but will be protected in your right"
~ on the contrary you perm" in firing upon my '0ide''
from TIE rood, WHEN TOT ARR CAUGHT,
Asp TOUR HOUSES PROPERTY WILL Bx DEsrsorED.
L. KIRBY SMITH, Msjor General
This may seem harsh, but it is right. No
commander can afford to allow his soldiers to
be shot from hiding places by enemies who
dodge half the risks of war by wearing no
uniform, preserving no organization, and who
endeayor to pass as peaceful farmers or hunters
The distinction between soldiers and skulking
assassins must be broadly maintained or the
former stand no chance against the latter.
Yet il is this very distinction that the Rebels
have from the first insisted on ignoring, while
claiming that their bushwhackers" should be
at liberty TO kill Union soldiers wherever and
however they could. Sterling Price demanded
this of Gen. Halleck in Missouri nearly year
ago. and jeff Davis insisted in bis late Mes
sage on making our refusal to accede to it the
ground Of vindictiyc retaliation on our prisoners
of war The whole Rebel South exulted over
the assassination OF Col. Ellsworth by the rum
seller Jackson at the taking of Alexandria.
And bill was lately introduced into the Rebel
Congress. ia accordance with Dayis's recon-
mendations, to authorize and require retalia-
ton upon our prisoners for every bush
whacker' who should be treated on our part
as an assassin.
Gen. Kirby Smiths Proclamation efectually
settles this controversy, and in clear accord
snce with the dictates of common sense. II
any traitor wants to fight the Union forces, be
has ample choice Of opportunities. He can en-
list in either of dozen different armies if he
fails to enlist, tho ne1orable conscription will
very certainly take hold of him. Let him but
enter the Rebel service to fight as soldier,
and he will be treated as a soldier-and never
were prisoners of war treated with more uni.
form humanity and kindness than the Rebels
taken by the Inionists have been-but if be
prowls about the woods, pretending to our
troops that he is a non.combatant yet shoot
ing at their backs when sure of eludlng their
pursuit, be will, if caught, be treated Ike the
assassin he proves himself And for this treat
ment tho Proclamation OF Maj Gen. Smith,
above quoted, furnishes ample warrant aud
Justification.
The Colonel of one of our Volunteer regi-
ments in the West was riding carelessly along
some defiance in advance of his command, in
locality where he had right to be careless,
when bang went a musket behind the briery
roadside fence and bullet whistled by be.
tween his shoulder and his ear. 81 surrep.
der I" ." surrender :" shouted the miscreant
who fired it, rising and finding the Colonel un-
harmed and his own lie in imminent peril.
"No you don't" replied the Colonel, as bring.
ing his pistol to u level, he stopped the ras-
calls bushwhacking for all timo to come. Aud
that is the way the tribe hare to be treated,
no matter by which side. We thank Gen.
Kirby Smith for his unimpeachable evidence
that the Rebels see the matter in the same
light with US.