Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-07-23
MILITARY REPRISALS.

L
objects proposed to himself by Gen. Jefferson
to proceed to this city. The projected mission had
for its ostensbe purpose the opening of negctia-
tons on three points.
Firstly to establish the cartel for the exchange Of
prisoners such basis to avoid the constant difficult
ties aud complaints which arise, and to prevent for the
future what Gen. Davis alleges to be the unfair con-
duct of the Federal authorities IN eyading the de-
livery of the prisoners who fall into hands in
tardng it by sending them clrcuous routes, and by
OBTAINING them sometimes for months in camps aud in
prisons and npersistng takingcapve combasants
Secondly to protest against the unheard Of conduct OF
the Federal officers in driving from heir homes entire
communities OF aud children, wen as OF men,
whom they ud in districts occupied by their troops for
ether than because the uortunates faithful
the allegiance due TO their State and refuse to take
| oath of fidelity to their enemies !
Thirdly to threaten retaa,ory because OF the
alleged putting to death Of unaned prisoners and be
cause of the recent executions of officers of the Con-
eders.e army in Kentucky for the sole that they
were engaged in recruiting service in State which is
claimed still of th United States, but is also
claimed as of the Confederate States"
The first of these grounds of complaint if there
be any, have been, we presume, sufficiently re-
moved by the recent supplementary arrangements
made to regulate the exchange of prisoners of war
In regard to the second ground Of reclamation
the banishmcnt of CENTRE communities of women
and children from their homes" which Gen. Davis
calls " the unheard of conduct of the Federal Off
GERS" in some cases, We have only to say that if
any such rigorous and cruel meas ures have been
executed with the generality he ascribes to them
VIC are not apprzed of the fact. If, however, Gen.
Davis has not before heard Of any such barbarties in
the progress of war amoD3 civilized nations it may
be because he has not given due attention to the Off
cial papers of his own military subordinatcs. We
quite concur with him in dcprecating such vista
tons of military severity on the heads of anarmed
women, children, and old men for VIC arc far
from holding that that military regimen which is
the most violent and relentless in its processes is
therefore the most effective. As soon rigor
trauscends the bounds of military justice, it be-
comes, by the recoi it produces, an element of
weakness rather than strength.
But we have to regret that Gen. Jefferson Davis
should be so late in announcing the humane max
inns by which he hopes to see the present war con-
Quoted. When the devoted Union men of East
Tennessee were hunted down by his soldiery, and,
for acts Of partisan warfare, were ordered to be
rcmorselessly hanged by his Secretary of War,
while inoffensive women and children for no other
crime than that of having husbands or fathers in
exile from the State for opinions sake were order
ed to abandon their homes, we heard nothing from
him in denunciation of such barbarity."
In an official letter TO the Hon. j. P. Benjamin,
then the Confederate Secretary of War, Col w.
B. Wood, commanding Confederate regiment in
East Tennessee, under date of November 20, 1861,
complained that the " Union men" in that quarter
had recently destroyed no less than five railroad
bridges" and that "the whole country was in a
state Of rebellion" against the Richmond Govern
ment He added that he had felt it his duty to
place Knoxville under martial law because there
was a large majority of the people sympathizing
with the enemy and communicating aciM them"
In second official letter, under date of Novem-
Der 20, 1861, he wrote that the rebellion in East
Tennessee had been put down in some of the coun-
ties" and that large number Of :" Union men
had been taken prisoners. He then proceeded to
ask what disposition should be made of them, and
cave DiS OWN NlCWo Oh Vic ouUJCOb 90 iOhVNo'
IL have been here at this station for three months half
the time 10 command of this post and bad good oppor
tunty of learning the feeling pervadng this country 1t
is hostile to the Confederate Government They will take
the oath Of allegiance with intention to observe it.
They the followers aud slaves Of johnson and May
pard and never intend to be otherwise. When arrested
they suddenly become very submissive and declare they
are for peace aud not supporters Of the Lincoln Govern
ment, but yet claim TO be Union At one time, while
our forces at Knoxville they gave it out that great
change had taken place in East Tennessee and that the
people were becoming loyal AT the withdrawal Of the
army from here 10 the Gap aud the first ntmaton Of the
approach of the Lincoln army they were IN arms aud
scarcely a but ready to join it and make war
upon The prisoners have all tell that they had
every that the enemy already the State,
aud would Join them in few days have requested at
least that the prisoners have takeu be held il not rs
tors as prisoners of war. To release them runous
10 convict them before court is next to impossby
But il they kept prison for six months it will have
good effect The bridgeburners and spies ought 10 br
tried at once
II was in reply to this writer that the Hon. Ju-
dab p. Benjamin, then Mr.. Dsvis's Secretary of
War, wrote as follows:
| "WAR DEPARTMENT,
! Richmond, Nor. %, 1861.
"SR: Your report of the goth instant received and
now proceed to give you the desired instructions in rea
ton the prisoners taken by you among the traitors Of
East Tennessee.
Fjrst All such as can be identified in having been en-
paped in bridge burning to be tried summary by drum
head courtmarta nnd if found guilty executed the
spot by hanging 1t would be well to leave their bodies
| bapgng m the vicinity of the burnt bridges.