Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-12-23

We find in the London Timex, of the 18th
ult, the following ~scsthing denunciation of the late
foul massacre of ten Confederate prisoners at PALMYRA.
Missouri, by order Of Gen. McNeill:
War is a horrible scOurge, but il is not in the heat Of
conflict that its horror becomes impressed on the mind Of
the brave man. In the wild excitement of that hour
there is no place for pity. We are alwsys told that it Is
after the battle, and when standing among the dying and
the wounded, that the great reaction comes. 1t is then
that fierce warriors become merciful and that deadly en-
smies take or themselves the Offices Of good Samaritans.
The dreadful duty of slaughter is zealously performed
even by the best men WREN their hands ism and their
blood is up; but 10 kill in cold blood, and take the lives
Of unresisting men to put to death csptives who have
surrendered on promise of quarter-this is the most
fearful necessity which could fall upon q soldier. and if
not a necessity, It'll Is the most hendish crime that can be
perpetrated by a eowerdly and cruel nature.
The account we publish to-day Of the massacre Of ten
Confederate prisoners Of war at Palmyra, in Missouri,
will be read with ashudder all over Christendom. Gen.
Mcneil has earned for himself splace among the mon
ssers who shed blood lovingly. We need not recount
here the details of this sickening tragedy. The cool,
deliberate selection of the ten victims-al, sswe should
Judge from their names, native Americans the parading
them with their collins beside them the slow and
heightened procession to the distant place Of slaughter
the drawing up Of the firing party the partially inef-
fectual fire, and the general finish Of the massacre with
revolvers-ail this is told. without sympathy or censure,
by g friend of the assassins but the facts themselves
will command the interest of every reader. And what
had these poor men done2 How had they forfeited
their right to be treated as prisoners of war; In what
way had they sinned against that military code, which
alone preserves the contests OF men from becoming
worse than the contests Of wild beastsf Had they con
spired to overpower their csptors, or had they contrived
an escapef Nothing Of the sort is alleged againstthem
Palmyra, where this atrocity was done, can scarcely be
said to be in danger. 1t is situated near the bank OF the
Upper Mississippi, where the Federal %gunbOats are all
powerful. It had, however, been for a short time IN the
possession Of the Confedsrates, and had recently been
recovered by Gen. McNielL twas then discovered
that a man named Andrew Alsman had disappeared
during the time of The Confederate occupation. II is
not suggested that he had been killed. lie may have been
carried away as a prisoner Of war he may nave ned
away OF his own free will all that is known OF him Is,
that he was not at his former home. This unexplained
absence of one individual formed the excuse OF zen
EcNiell for numbering IN cold blood ten Of the prisoners
a his bands-men who had nothing to do with Ais
msu. and who we're, in all reliability, captiVes az the
well considered act of military murder, carried out with