The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-06-01

but / believe consistent with the laws
of war. 1 believe such men ought to
be shot down, but ought not to 9 be
murdered after being captured, and
this Is the substance of the orders to
you. Discretion was given to you to
exercise ienlency to such as were re-
pentant and would not further vio-
late the laws of the country. | had
the fullest confidence in your capacity
and humanity, and did not hesitate to
confide to you the greatest discretion. |
made such orders in pursuance of or
ders from my superior commanders.
l believe that no cruelty was ever
practiced by you, or any officer, by
my orders, toward any prisoner L
am sure that | never. treated any
prisoner, even guerrillas. with cruelty
or severity, and never failed, as far as
| could consistently with orders and
duty, to exercise leniency and kind
ness. 1t is true believed war re-
atty, and believed in the suppression
of the rebellion by force of arms, and
killing men in armed hostility to the
Government, and 10 exterminating
guerrillas, and those making unlawful
warfare, without authority from any
government.
In regard to levying contributions,
believe it was wrong On your rec
ommendation / ordered it TO be done
in one case. | authorized your levy
ing contributions for a soldiers wife
and children who had been killed,
named Hankins. This is the only case
[ now remember in which / ordered
it. L may have done so in the begin
ming of the war, in some case not now
remembered, but afterwards / always
disapproved it and forbid it; though
in several cases the War Department
it to be done by direct or
ders to officers under my command. |
In the contributions levied by you,
they were not done by my or
ders, except as stated; but / |
know they were approved by the |
Government, and / have never enter
tanned a doubt that all the moneys
collected under your orders were hon
estly disbursed by your orders, and
no part thereof ever appropriated by
you to your own use, found you an
honest and faithful officer, and you
we're retained in command at your
post over an officer who ranked you,
1t the solicitation of citizens of Hen
ierson County, because of their con-
idence in your capacity and fairness.
L do not propose to vlndicate my
self from any charge which may be
made, nor do | intend to defend all
ny orders and conduct | am salts
led L issued orders which were wrong,
Ind did many things which were
wrong, which, if they were to be done
,ver, L should not do again. / have
many things done by me.
md by my orders, and would right |,
hem now if | could. and make any
Imends / could | did what at the
lime | considered my duty, however
much | may have erred. | caused
lirectly but few arrests to be made,
md some Of them were very wrong
md unjust, and | remedied the wrong
he first moment | could do So
nd no man could have regretted
more than myself, the commission Of
wrong from false or malicious in
ormatlon. L am not conscious Of
yer having acted from personal pre-
udice, malice or partisan feelings to-
Yards any one, and [ believe that this
7ill be accorded me by those who
now me best.
was for maintaining the Govern
nent and the Constitution. as | now
m, and was for suppressing the re-
ellion by arms, and did all in my
over to accomplish this result, and
shall rejoice when the States are all
estored to the Union and to their
rights, and peace OBJ
aims in all the country.
am, very respectfully,
Your friend and ob't. sv't.