The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-03-05
HEADQUARTERS OF THE Army,
AND DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
NeWbern n T. Feb II 1884

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, !
AND DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Newbern, N. c., Feb. IL, 1864.
.Hgjor- General Pickett Department Of Vir-
ginia and North Carolina, Confederate
Army, Petersburg
GENERAL have the honor to inclose
a slip cut from the Richmond Exam
ener, of Feb s, 1864 1t is styled "The
Advance on Newbern," and appears to
have been extracted from the Peters
burg Register, paper published in the
city whore your headquarters are To-
Gated.
Your attention is particularly invited
to that paragraph which states Col
Shaw was shot dead by negro soldier
from the other side of the river which
he was spanning with pontoon bridge,
and that the negro was watched and
followed, taken and hanged after the
action of Townsville"
THE ADVANCE on NEwBERS
The Petersburg Register gives the fol
lowing additional facts of the advance
on Newbern. Our army, according to
the report of passengers arriving from
Weldon, has fallen back to a point six
teen miles of NeWbeTn. The reason
assigned for this retrograde movement,
was that Newbern could not be taken
by us without loss on our part which
would find no equivalent in its capture,
as the place was stronger than we had
anticipated Yet, in spite of this, we
are sure the expedition will result in
good to our cause Our forces are in
a situation to get large supplies from a
country still abundant, to prevent raids
on points westward, and keep tories in
check, and hang them when caught
From private who was one of the
guard that brought the batch Of pris-
oners through we learn that Col Shaw
was shot dead by negro soldier from
the other side of the river which he
was spanning with a pontoon bridge
The negro was watched, followed, taken
and hanged, after the action at Thomas
vile. 1t is stated that when our troops
entered Thomasville a number of the
enemy took shelter in the houses and
fired upon them. The Yankees were
ordered to surrender but refused, where
upon our men set fire to the houses and
their occupants got bodily taste in
this world of the flames eternal
The Government of the Unitd States
has wisely seen fit to enlist many thou
sand colored soldiers to aid in putting
down the revolution, and has placed
them on the same footing, in all re-
spects, as her white troops. The orders
of the President are so Just, full and
clear, that inclose a copy for your in
formation:
GENERAL ORDERS no. 252
"WAR DEPARTMENT, ABR. -GES's OYFfcE,
Washington, D. c., July 81, 1858.
The following order from the Presi-
dent is published for the information
and government of all concerned:
"'ExzcUTIvE MANSION, !
90 Washington, D. G., July 80, 1883.
alt is the duty of every government
to give protection to its citizens, Of
whatever class, color, or condition, and
especially to those organized as soldiers
in the public service The Law of ma
tons, and the usages and customs Of
war, as carried on by civilized powers,
permit no distinction as to color in the
treatment of prisoners Of war, as public
enemies To sell or enslaye any cap
tured person on account of his color,
and for no oftense againt the laws Of
war, is a relapse into barbarism, and
crime against the civilization Of the
age.
The Government of the United States |
viii give the same protection 10 al its 1
soldiers, and if the enemy shall sell or /
enslave any one because of his color, /
the ofense shall be punished by retail
alton upon the enemy prisoners in our
possession.
at is therefore ordered that for every 4
soldier Of the United States killed IN
violation of the laws Of war, a rebel 4
soldier shall be executed; for every one
enslaved by the enemy, or sold into sla-
very, a rebel soldier shall be placed at
hard labor on the public works, and
continue on such labor until the other
shall be released and receive the treat
ment due TO a prisoner Of war.
ABRAHAA LINCOLN
q BY order Of the Secretary Of War
"a e. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adj teen
eral"
Believing that this autrocity has been
without your knowledge
and that you viii take prompt steps to
disown this violation of the usages Of
war, and to bring the offenders to jus
tice, shall refrain from executing a
rebel soldier until | learn your action
in the premises.
] am, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JoRS J. PICK, Ma. General
HEADo'Es OF DEP'T or EOErH C1RoL'A,
Petersburg, Va, Feb. le, 1854.
.Maior General John j. Peek, T. s. A.,
Commanding at NetoJerH
GESERAL-Your communication Of the
llth Of February Is received. have
-. -. - 80. -, -a,,l. that tho