The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-06-24

'"''' N'VA Nv hdu Sl'ltu the tents, llat .
tlor hc had eludcd the officer who had
been sent In search, a brute lror me had
whipped the gil without causnD And
we leave him IN Fort Jackson
A THREAT IRON jErE DAVIS.
Prom tbe na't,of Juucs
Lieut-Col Ogden. member of Gen.
Mansfield Lovel's staff arrived in town .
ON Friday morning under Tag Of truce. /
lie bore a Threatening letter" from
Mister Davis TO Major Gen Butler .
Gen Butler read it, and sent back writ f.
ten answer. II does not appear, from the
Generals Performance, that he was much .
frightened. We do think he was a bit .
The following is a copy Of the cores
pondonce:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT, No. H.
JACKSON Miss, June {, 1862
Mya- Gen. BENJAMIN r. BUTLER, Can.
UJandWg L. S. tarces Ngg Orleans:
Sin; am instructed by the President
of the Confederate States 20 communicate
with you, under flag Of truce, and To
say that he has been informed that W.
Van Benthuysen, a citizen Of New Or
leans, has been placed in arrest by YOUR
orders, charged with assisting Il. b. Van
Benthuysen to escape from that city, and
also with upholding the Confederate Gov
crnmcnt; and that you have further orr
dtrcd that if the said T. b. Bcnthuyscn
(who is charged with desertion from the
United States scrvice) be not found, and
delivered up W. Van Benthuysen shall
in his stead, suffer dcath-thc penalty Of
dcsortion.
The President, therefore, directs me 60
n.ttlv you that if the facts are as above
stated, he shall rigidly apply the ls1 tall
oH,S-iniicting the same penalty even TO
| death, upon citizen Of the United
States, as may be inflicted upon the said
w. Van Benthuysen.
! take the occasion 10 add that at the
| time of the reported descrtiOn Of Van
Benthuysen and his two comrades, l
made a full investigation, and satisfied
| myself that they were driven ashore by
the wind and tide, involuntarily, and
they were accordingly held as prisoners
Of war until the evacuation Of New Or
leans,
They stated at the time that they did
not wish to be regarded as dcserters, but
| learned from Van Bcnthuysen, suisse
quently, that being reported as a desert
or, and fearful that he would be held as
such, he concluded to escape.
This letter will be transmitted through
Lieut.. Col. Ogden, of my staff.
Your obedient servant,
NJ, LOWELL,
Major General Commanding
GEN. BUTLER's REPLY
HEADQU DEPARTMENT OF GULEl
New Orleans June g. 1862. !
| GENERAL: The communication bv flag
of truce, under charge of Lieut.. Colonel
Ogden, Of yQrr staff, was handed me
this morning. ! take leave TO assure you
that the information on which Mr.. Davis
acted was incorrect-the threat unneccs-
sary, as IL would have been unhcard, had
my Judgment determined any 81 en-
course of action necessary and just
Major Van Benthuysen, an officer hold
ing q commission against the United
States, in arms, was arrested by my or
der, for aiding the escape of a scoundrcl
and spy. who had at the same time been
false to your party as he was TO mine
and confined in Fort Jackson, and told
that as his offence was not the worst IN
the rebellion, if he would produce the
spy, who was informed, was under his
control, he would be released, and SO Gal
his offences condoncd. Being afterward.
assured that the spy had escaped, in fact
to Richmond, upon Major Van Benthuy-
, sens application, he was released somC
days since upon his parole, land is now
as believe, quietly attending TO his or.
binary ayocatjons about the city Of New
, Orleans.
70 prevent the necessity Of flags o
truce, containing threats to me, hereafter
allow me to add that in no degree viii
they change-the course either Of punish.
. ment or eff justice, which my iudgmcn
, | may determine.
/ ] have failed TO md any other thnJ
in your note which requires reply
! have the honor to be your obcdicu
, servant IF. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding.
Col. Ogden left last evening on his re
! turn to Jackson, Miss, Gen Lowell
, ! headquarters