Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1862-04-10
Fl. ". IIALLscg,
General-inChief e. S. Army.
GEN. LEETOGEN. HALLEcK.

GEN. LEE TOGEN. HALLEcK.
HEApQUAIgERs ARMY OF TuEC. S.
Near kichnlond Va, Aug. 2, 80
10 Tie General Commanding HE
O. S. Amy, Waahinjton::
GENERAL,-In obedience to the
order Of lis Excellency the Pres
ident Of the Confederate States, |
have the honor to make you the
following communication:
On the 22d Of July last a car
tel for general exchange Of pris-
oners was signed by Major-Gener-
al John A Dix, on behalf of the
United States, and by Major-Gen-
eral D. Ii. Lii. Oh the part Of
this Government. BY the terms
Of that cartei ii is ST pulated that
all prisoners Of war hereafter ta-
ken shall be DISCHARGED on parole
until exchanged. S, arceiy had
tie cartel been signed wien the
military authorities Of tie United
States commerc,d u Practice
changing tie character OF tie
war trom such as becomes civil
ICED nations into campaign of
indiscriminate robbery and MUIR
der.
A general order issHod by the
Secretary Of War IF tie United
States in tie city OF Washington,
ON The very day that the car,el
was signed in Virginia, directs the
Military c, mlnanders OF tie Uni
ted States 10 take the property CT
our leop!e fer the Use CT the ar-
my, without com ensaticn.
A general order Issued BY Ma
jor-General Pope, on Tie 23d OF
July last, the day after tie date
Of the cartel. directs the murder
of cur peaceful citizens as spies,
II found quietly tilling their falms
in his rear, even outside Of his
iiEcs.
AID ore Ct his Bri.adicr G. Il
erals, Steinweilr, has seize limo
cent and peaceful Inhabitants
to be held as hostages, TO the ,rd
that they may be murdered in
eold bicod if any OF his soldiers
are killed by unknown persons
whom he desigrates as lush
wl.ackers." Some Of the military
butterflies seem 10 suppose that
them end will be better attainc d
b. savage war III Which no GUAR
ter is TO lie given and TO a.e or SIX
is 10 lie spared, than by such Los
tilitits as are alone recognized to
be lawful i'll modern times. We
find ourselves driven by our enc
mics By steady progress toward a
practice which We aihor, ard
which We ale vainIy struggling to
avoid.
Under these circumstances, this
government las issued the accom-
panJi:g general order, which | am
directed BY tie President to trans
NIT to you, recognizing Major-
General Pope and HIS c,mu.is-
sioned officers to be in the position
which they have chosen for them
seIvCs-that OF robb, rs aud MUIR
derers, and not that OF public
enemies, entitled, if captlr, d., to
be treated ,s prisoners Of war
The Prt siien; also insti ucts ne
to inform you that we renounce
our right OF retaliation On the
innocent, and will continue to treat
the private soldiers OF Gen. Pope's
army as prisoners of war; bat if,
after notice to your government
that they coniine repressive meas
uros to the punishment of COM
mssloned officers who are willing
to participate in these crimes the
savage practices threatened i'll the
orders alluded TO be persisted in,
we shall reluctantly be forced to
the last resort Of accepting the
war en- the terms chosen by our
enemies, until the voice of an out
ragged humanity shall compel
respect lor the recognized usages
OF war. While the President
considi rs that the facts referred
TO would justify a refusal on cur
part to execute the cartel by
which We have agreed to liberate
an excess Ct prisoners Of war in
our hands, sacred regard for
PilGhted faith, which sl.rinks from
the semblance of breaking prom
ise, precludes a resort to such an
extremity; nor is it lis desire to