The daily bulletin. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn) 1862-1863, 1863-01-05
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE
CONFEDERATE STATES.
A PROCLAMATION,

Robert h. Lee, acting under the instructions
of the Secretary of War of the Confederate
States of America, to General III. w. Haleck,
General-in-chef of the United States army,
informing the latter that's report had reached
this Governmentthat VIM. b. Mumford, cit
lzen OF the Confederate States, had been exe-
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
a statement OF the facts, with view to retalia-
ton II such an outrage had really been COM
mitted under sanction of tho authorities of the
III ! qlltts4f t4f States. .ocrvr ,,.C.a
the I'd August last, (l862,) addressed Dy pcn'
Lee, under my instructions, to Gen' h"liecNi
renewing the enquiry in relation to the soiu
execution of soid Mumford, with the lhfos'''I-
tiou that in the event OF not rcc9lVlhS rePy
within fifteen days, it would be assumed tli"I
the fact alleged was true and was SahcIloil'o
bv the Government of the United States
And whereas an answer dated on the 'tn
Ananst last. Q8G2l was addressed to General
Lee bv General II. W. Halleck, the sal4 Gen
eral-in. chief of the armies OF the Ohi'eo
States, alleging sufficient cause for failure tC
rnol,o early reply to said letter OF 6th july
I a.Snrtino that mo authentic information hH'
haan received IN relation to the execution o
Mumford, but measures will Immediately u
been received IN relation to the execution of
MumfOrd, but measures will Immediately be
taken to ascertain the facts of the alleged exc
cution," and promising that General Lee
should be duly informed thereof
And, whereas, on the 29th November last,
Q8G2) 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 be considered that an answer is de-
clined:
And, whereas, by letter, dated on the Sd day
Of the present month of December, the said
Lieut.. COL Ludlow apprsed the said Robert
Ould that the above rccted communication of
29th 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, |
have received evidence fully establishing the
truth OF the fact tnat the said William b.
Mumford, a citizen of this Confederacv, 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 Cen Ben jamin F. Butler, when said Num-
ford was an 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 as 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, Jefferson Davis, President
of the Confederate States of America and in
their name, do pronounce and declare the said
| Benjamin f. Butter to be felon, deserving OF
capital punishment. ! do order that he be no
! longer considered or treated simply as public
enemy of the Confederate States Of America,
but as. an outlaw and common enemy Of man
kind, and that in the event OF his capture, tho
officer in command of the capturing force do
cause him to be Immediately executed by hang
ing and L 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 forhi crimes.
And whereas tho hostlities waged against
this Confederacy by the forces of the United
States, under the command of said Ben njamin
F. 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 be cited as exam
ples
Peaceful and aged citizens, unresisting cap
tives and non-combatants have been confined
at hard labor with balls and chains attached to
their limbs, and are still so 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
invited and encouraged by general orders to
insult and outrage the wives, the mothers and
the sisters of orr citizens