Daily union appeal. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-186?, 1862-08-15
Letter from Jen Davis TO Gen. Rob't. lie

Letter from jeff Davis TO Gen. R0b't. Lee.
The following is the letter Of JEFF. Davis to
Gen. Lee, instructing him to communicate the
fact of the late Rebel retaliatory order to the
COMMANDMENT Chief of the United States
RICHMOND, Va, July 81.
SIR: On the 23d Of this month cartel for
a general exchange of prisoners Of war was
signed between Maj. Gen. ID. III. Hill, IN be-
half of the Confederate States, and Maj. Gen.
John A.. Dix, in behalf Of the United States.
By the terms of that cartel it is stipulated that
ali prisoners of war hereafter taken shall be
discharged on parole till exchanged. Scarcely
had that cartel been signed when the military
authorities of the United States commenced q
practice of changing the character Of the war
from such as becomes civilized nations into
campaign Of indiscriminate robberies and muir
ders. The general order issued by the Secre-
tary of War of the United States in the City
of Washington, on the very day that the car
tel was signed in Virginia, directs military
commanders of the United States to take the
private property Of our people for the conven-
fence of their armies without compensation.
The general order issued by Major General
Pope on the 22d Of July, the day after the
signing of the cartel, directs the murder of our
peaceful inhabitants as spies if found quietly
filling the farms in his rear, even outside of
his lines and one Of his Brigadier Generals,
Steinweyr, has seized upon innocent and
peaceful citizens to be held as hostages, to the
end that they may be murdered in cold blood
if any of his soldiers are killed by some I'M
known persons whom he designates as "Bush-
whaekers."
Under this state of facts, this government
has issued the enclosed general order, rscog-
nizing General Pope and his commissioned
ofiSers to be in the position which they have
chosen for themselves-that of robbers and
murderers, and not that Of public enemies, en-
titled, if captured, to be considered as priso-
ners Of war. We ind ourselves driven by
our enemies by steady progress toward prsc-
tce which we abhor, and which we are vainly
struggling to avoid. Some of the military
authorities of the United States seem to sup
pose that better success will attend savage
war, in which no quarter is TO be given, and
no age or sex to be spared, than has hitherto
been secured by such hostilities as are alone
recognized to be lawful by civilized men OF
modern times . 's.
For the present we renounce our right OF
retaliation on the innocent, and shall continue
TO treat the private enlisted soldiers of Gen.
Pope's army as prisoners OF war, if taken; but
il, after notice to the government at Washing
ton, of our continuing oppressive measures to
the punishment only Of commissioned officers
who are willing participants of these crimes
the savage practices are. continued, we shall
reluctantly be forced to the last resort of ac.
cspting the war on the terms chosen by oul
foes, until the outraged voice of common
humanity forces a respect for the recognized
rules Of war. While these facts would justify
our refusal to execute the generous cartel by
which we have consented TO liberate an excess
of thousands of prisoners held by US beyond
the number held by the enemy, . sacred re
gard for private faith, shrinking from the mer'
sembance of breaking a promise, prevents
our resort to this extremity. -
Nor do we desire to extend to any othel
forces of the enemy the punishment mete(
above by Gen. Pope, and such commissioned
officers as choose to participate in the execu
ton of his infamous orders.
You are therefore instructed to communicat
to the commander-in-chiefo of the armies Of tn
United States the contents of this letter, and
copy of the enclosed general order, TO the emf
that he may be notified of our intention no
to consider any officers hereafter captures
from Gen. Pope's army as prisoners Of wal
Very respectfully, yours, ETC.,
JEFF. DAVIS.
Gen. r. E, LEE, Commanding, etc.