Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-08-20
Our Battle Flag--Fhe Black Flag.

Our Battle Flag--The Black Flag.
= The history Of all the wars which eve1
-courged mankind furnishes no example O
such toleration as has been exhibited by the
Confederate Government to its internal anc
external foe =, - ~. f~a
Invaded by the most cruel and rapacious
enemy, actuated solely by the lust, Of power
and of avarice, their country laid waste, az
FAR as it has come into their possession, their
citizens seized and incarcersted, their prop,
er.y appropriated, their slaves armed, and
insurrectiou openly encouraged, the most
brutal assaults committed upon innocent
women, and condign punishment has been
visited upon them in scarcely an instance
We have laws imposing the severest pen
alties upon our citizens who are guilty oi
stealing their neighbours slaves, or incitine
them to insurrection, or who are convicted
Of burning their neighbor's houses.
If these offences ere of such heinous
character as when committed in seasons o
profound peace, to call for the inhictiou o.
the seyerest punishment, how much the
more should that punishment be visited
upon hostile army invading the country,
aod everywhere arming and melting oul
slaves to rebellion and insurrection :?
Oar Government should at once proclaim
hatcvery negro found in the ranks of the
enemy and captured by us will be instantly
shot. And not stopping at that, the same
punishment should be inflicted upon every
officer connected with companies to which
they belong. - -,
We greatly admire the prompt act ,o
Goa. Forrest in ordering the immediate
execution Of two negroes who were captu
red 5y him 10 his attack few days ago OIL
Nurfreesbafo, and who wore the Fedora
Uniform. They had been taught to clain
the protection accorded to prisoners of wal
by the law of nations The only response
he made to their demands, was an order
which was promptly obeyed, that they b.
instantly shot. .t
They have outraged every law, human
and divine, by the manner in which they
have conducted the war. Self-preservatior
requires US to retaliate rpon them. and il
doing so, to avail ourselves of every means
Of defence which the God of nature has
placed in our reach. .....
The thousands of precious lives which
have been sacrificed to the cruelty and IA
pacity of our hellish foes-the mourning
hearts of fathers aud mothers, wives anc
sisters which have been wrung with anguish
--appea! to US for vengeance. ...
The recent approval which the Fedora
Government has given to the seizure auc
arming of our slaves for our destruction
would Justify us in proclaimiug that here
after no quarters would be asked or given
aud DO prisoners taken. .
If We must need meet our very negroes
in battle array, let US meet them and thei
bagbarous allies beneath the folds of th'
black flag, with the single word 'uengeance
iascrioed upon its folds.
Having themselves set at defiance all tn
laws Of civilized warfare, they should ex
poct, and should receive, no mercy at ou
hands
The adoption of the policy we recon
mend would not only be just as retaliato
ry> measure, but would contribute, NOR
than anything else, if not to speedy ter
animation of the wsr, at least in restrainin!
it within the pale of civilization and hu
raaity.
We earnestly invoke the attention of tn
approachiDg session Of Congress to this al
important subject.
Whatever considerations of public polio
aud regard for the moral sentimental man
kind, may have heretofore operated upo
the Government, the time has passed whe
onr enemies have any claim upon our fol
bearancc. They have proclaimed them
selves outlaws against the civilization of tn
worid-tbey have trampled upon that Cor
Stitu;ion, in the name of which they pre-
Gss 70 be waging this unholy war-the
nave set at defiance the laws Of nations
and We would be false to ourselves, traitor
to our country and to our families, if W
lon2cr recognized them, except as thieve:
murderers and robbers.
We trust that Congress will speedily pre
pIqjra the determination of the Governmer
70 treat them as such, and enact laws vis
iag condign punishment upon all such
by the chances of war may fall into on
hands They declare US 'rebels' for ds
&,aaing our homes, our families, again:
5zjr unholy invasion. They denounce tn
@eatir penalty against those who enlist i
guerilla parties, within their own states,'f
the defence of those whom the laws of Go
rs vel as of their country, command thel
70 defend They scruple not to insuuat
t&ei7 nate into the minds of the slaves VIII
minister TO our families, and encourage thel
- a-so,>inate and to poison our wives an
cal,uran--and yet are horrifed at pr'o'
te~r&a1en and guerillas.
Hc shall await with impatient anxie
taa ection of Congress in the premises
The public sentiment of the whole COUNT
teu.sads prompt and decisive measures
If II is 10 become war of exterminatio
it vii! be made SO by our demon foes.