The daily bulletin. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn) 1862-1863, 1863-01-08
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE
CONFEDERATE STATES.
A PROCLAMATlON.

of the Secretary OF War OF the Confederate
States of America, to General III. w. Halleck,
General -in-chief of the United States army,
informing the latter that q report had reached
this Governmentthat VIM. b. Mumford, q cit
izen of the Confederate States, had been exc
cuted By the United States authorities at New
Orleans, for having pulled down the United
States flag in that city before its occupation by
the forces of the United States, and calling for
II statement of the facts, with q view to retalia-
ton if such an outrage had really been COM
mitted under sanction of the authorities of the
United States.
And whereas, (no answer having been re-
ceiyed to said letter. another letter was, on
the I'd August last, 1882 addressed by Gen.
Lee, under my instructions, to Gen. Halleck,
renewing the enquiry in relation to the said
execution of said Mumford, with the informa-
tiou that in the event of not receiving II reply
within fifteen days, it would be assumed that
the fact alleged was true and was sanctioned
by the Government of the United States.
And, whereas, an answer dated on the 7th
August last, (l862) was addressed to General
Lee by General Ii. W. Halleck. the said Cen
eral-in. chief of the armies of the United
States, alleging sufficient cause for failure to
make early reply to said letter Of 9th July,
| dSStIllIlE bAluI III biiO iAiAoA Ahho
been received In relation to the execution of
Mumford, but measures will Immediately be
taken to ascertain the facts of tho alleged exc
%cution,' and promising that General Lee
should be duly informed thereof.
And, whereas, on the Goth November last,
1862 another letter was addressed under my
instructions by Robert Ould, Confederate
Agent for the exchange of prisoners under the
cartel between the two Governments, to Lieut..
Col. w. Ii. Ludlow, agent of the United
States under said cartel, informing him that
the explanations promised in the said letter of
General Halleck, of 7th of August last, had
not yet been received, and that if no answer
was sent to the Government within fifteen days
from the delivery of this last communication,
it would bo considered that an answer 10 de-
clined:
And, whereas, by letter, dated on the Sd day
of the present month of December, the said
Lieut.. Col. Ludlow apprised the said Robert
Guild that the above recitod communication of
2Vth of November had been received and for
warded to the Secretary of War of the United
States:
And, whereas, this last delay Of fifteen days
allowed for answer has elapsed, and no answer
has been received:
And. whereas, in addition to the tacit admis-
sion resulting from above refusal to answer, l
have received evidence fully establishing the
truth of the fact tnat the said William B.
Mumford, a citizen Of this Confederacy, was
actually and publicly executed in cold blood
by hanging, after the occupation Of the city of
New Orleans by the forces under the command
of Gen. Benjamin f. Butler, when said Num-
ford was All unresisting and non-combatant cap
tive, and for no offence even alleged to have
been committed BY him subsequent to the date
Of the capture of the said city.
And whereas, the silence of the government
of the United States, and its maintaining of
said Butler in high Office under its authority,
for many months after his commission of an
act that can be viewed in no other light than
as a deliberate murder, rs we'll as Of numerous
other outrages and atrocities hereafter to be-
mentioned, afford evidence only too conclusive
that the said government sanctions the conduct
of said Butler, and is determined that he shall
remain UNPUBLISHED for his crimes.
Now, therefore, l Jefferson Davis, President
Of tho Confederate States of America, and in
their name, do pronounce and declare the said
Benjamin F.. Butter to be a felon, deserving OF
capital punishment. I do order that he be no
longer considered or treated simply as a public
enemy of the Confederate States of America,
but rs IN outlaw and common enemy of man
kind, and that in the event Vt his capture. the
officer in command of the capturing force do
cause him to be Immediately executed by hang
ing; and | do further order that no commits
stoned officer of the United States, taken cap
tive shall be released on parole before exchange,
until the said Butler shall have met with due
punishment for his crimes.
And whereas tho hostilities waged against
this Confederacy by the forces of tho United
States, under the command of said Benjamin
+. Butler, have borne no resemblance to such
warfare as is alone permissible by the rules of
international law or the usages of civilization,
but have been characterized by repeated atroc-
tiles and outrages, among the large number of
which, the following may DO cited as exam
Piles:
Peaceful and aged citizens, unrcsisting cap
tiyes and non-combatants have been confined
at hard labor with balls and chains attached to
their limbs, and are still 80 held in dungeons
and fortresses. Others have been subjected to
a like degrading punishment for selling medi-
cines to the sick soldiers of the Confederacy.
The soldiers of the United States have been
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