Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-14

Iederacy, nave been guilty OF felonies and
capital offences which are punishable by all
laws human and divine. l am directed by
him to bring to your notice a few of these
best authenticated.
Newspapers received from the United States
announce as fact that Major General Hun
ter has armed slaves for the murder of their
masters, and has thus done all in his power to
inaugurate servile war, which is worse than
| that Ut the savage, inasmuch as it superadds
! other horrors to the indiscrminate slaughter
| OF all ages, sexes, and conditions. Brigadier
| general Phelps is reported to have initiated at
| New Orleans, the example set by Major Gen.
| Hunter on the coast of South Carolina. Brig.
Gen. Fitch is stated in the same journal to
have murdered in cold blood, two peaceful
citizens because one of his men, while invad-
ing our country was killed by some unknown
! person while defending his home.
am instructed by the president Of tho con-
federate states to repeat the inquiry relative
to the cases Of Mumford and Owen and to
ask whether the statements in relation to the
actions of Gems. Hunter, Phelps and Fitch
are admitted to be true, and whether the con-
duct of these generals is sanctioned by their
| government. | am further directed by his ex-
celency the president to give notice that in the
| event of not receiving reply to these inquir-
les within fifteen days from the delivery of
this letter, that it will be assumed that the al
legged facts are true and are sanctioned by the
government of the United States. In such
event on that government will rest the respon-
sibillty of the retributive or retaliatory mea-
sures which shall be adopted to put end to
the mercileS atrocities which now characterize |
the war against the confederate states. | am
most respectfully your obedient servant,
r. L. LEE, General commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF CONFEDERATE
STATES, NEAR RICHMOND, Aug. 2'-To the |
General Commanding the United States |
Army, Washington Il General: In obed-
ence to the order of his excellency the pres-
dent of the confederate states, have the hon
or to make you the following communication
On the 22d of July last a cartel for general
exchange prisoners was signed by Major |
Gen. Johr 4. Dix, on behalf of the United |
States, AID by Major Gen. d. FL. Hill, on the |
|, pat Of this government. By the terms of |
that cartel it is stipulated that all pfqs0ife
war hereafter taken shall be discharged on
parole until exchanged Scarcely had the
cartel been signed when the military authori-
ties of the United States commenced prac-
tice of changing the character of the war from
such as becomes civilized nations into cam
paign of indiscriminate robbery and murder.
A general order, issued by the secretary of
war of the United States, in the city of Wash
ington, on the very day that the cartelwaS sign
ed Virginia, directs the military commanders
of the United States to take the property of
our people for the convenience and use Of the
army, without compensation. A general or
der issued by Maj. Gen. Pope, on the 23d of
July last, the day after the date of the cartel,
directs the murder of our peaceful citizens as
spies, if found quietly tilling their farms in
his rear, even outside of his lines and one of
his brigadier generals, Steinwehr, has seized
innocent and peaceful inhabitants, to be held
as hostages, to the end that they may be MUIR
dered in cold blood, if any of his soldiers are
killed by unknown persons, whom he desig-
mates as bushwhackers.
Some of your military authorities seem to
suppose that their end will be better gained
by savage war in which no quarter or no
age or sex is to be spared, than by such hos
tilities as are alone recognized as lawful in
modern times. We find ourselves driven by
our enemies towards practice which we alb
hor, and which we are vainly struggling to
avoid. Under these circumstances this gov
eminent has issued the accompanying general
order, which am directed by the president
to transmit to you, recognizing Maj. Gen.
Pope and his commissioned officers to be in
the position which they have chosen for them
selves, that of robbers and murderers, and
not of that of hostile soldiers, who, if cap
tured, are to be treated as prisoners Of war.
The president also instructs me to inform
you that we renounce our right of retaliation
on the innocent, and will continue to treat the
private soldiers of Pope's army as prisoners
of war; but if after notice to your govern
ment that we confine repressive measures to the
punishment of commissioned officers who are
willing participants in these crimes and the
savage practices threatenedin the orders allow
ed to be persisted in we shall reluctantly be
forced to the last resort of accepting the war
on the terms chosen by our enemies until the
voice of an outraged humanity shall compel
a recognition of the usages Of specific war
While the president considers that the facts
referred to justify a refusal on our part to
execute cartel by which we have agreed to
lberate an excess of prisoners of war in our
hands, sacred regard for plighted faith
which shrinks from the semblance of breaking
promise, precludes resort to such an ex-
tremity; nor is it his desire to extend to any
other forces of the United States the punish
ment merited by Gen. Pope and such commits
stoned officers as chose to participate in the
execution of his infamous order | have the
honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient
| servant, X. Il. LEE,
General commanding.
General orders No. 81, from the adiutant
and inspector generals office, Richmond, Au-
gust lst are enclosed. [They refer to flu
4 ture retaliatory course of the southern con-
federacy, owing to the recent orders of the
president of the United States and Generals
Pope and Steinwehr They were published
on Saturday.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington,
Aug. 8, 1862-Gen. r. b. Lee, commanding,
5c.-General: Your two communications of
the I'd inst, with enclosures, are received.
As these letters are couched in language ex-
ceedingly insulting to the government of the
United States must respectfully decline to
receive them. They are returned herewith
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. w. HALLECK,
General in Chief, U. S. A.