New-York tribune., 1868-12-24
oUraAGES on AMERICAN CITIZENS.


TO the EDITOR Of The Tribune.
SIR: May beg to call your attention to the fol-
towing statement Of the grossast outrage Of private
nights open violation of public agreement and a
most nagrant blackguardy breach Of military faith,
committed by the Government Of an Empire against
O half-dozen private individuals.
am enc Of a company Of engineers, engaged IN
surveying line of railway from the Mediterranean
20 the EuphTates, whose camp was surprised at Tel
Ada on the 1ith ult. by 1900 men, under the com
mand of the Governors civil and military, of Ila-
math Col. Eugene Reilly, under whose direction
We were and are, made then and there formal sur
render of all means of guarding ourselves against
the Bedouins on the following conditions:
I'm order Of The PGsha cirib guaranteeing free pas
sage 10 the LUpLrGS and the supply Of an escort uhich
he had pyeTiOaSit efusfd). That upon the detrTg Of
arms beonging 10 regeidr hO0pS laimeS de mHHitiOH
each peod sbOslG be GiiOrd 10 keep HE Ocn pirate
arms property. de- hot no one should be mdde prison
6 and bie pirate men 6hOnd 66 dH0Uc0 70 90 10 W1
homes UifhOWt Dolcsfd'ioR."
AS soon as we WeI6 far enough from the free
Bcdouins that the Pashas thought they coald
with impunty commit that outrage upon mill
taTy faith. the violation of The terms OF surrender
commenced. First we were deprived OF our arms,
then of Our horses and. arriving at Klamath, 1t
was wholly dIsTegarded. Our men were thrown into
the sinking, lOathsOme cells OF the bagmO, ana our
selves into those OF the caseTne, where We remained
unconyicted. untried, unaccused for ten days AL
most all we had was pundered either on the way or
In the caserue. We deprived oil all our papers,
iGcuding plans and private letters az wei as pen
ellis. ink, &c, and every means Of communication
with or from the outside world was strictly
forbidden. We were then brought down in five
days TO Damascus, placed IN solitary confinement
under conditions even worse than at Klamath. where
we remain at the present tlme-seaIched daily Tor
knives or pencls-forbidden to speak or 10 write to
any one, even to own cOnsus or famlies-left 10
rot in unwholcsOme cells from prison darrhea and
iuhammatOry rhematism. Some OF the men have al
ready died IRON the -treatment others, rendered
desperate have torn of their fetteIs and forced their
We have never done anything against either the
Turkish Government or its officials. They knew
everything we Were doing and favored and aided us
up TO the last day before they surrounded us They
make solemn compact Of surrender and when we
Dte bound and pOwerleSs, consider 1t mere of
What is to be our fate God only knowsl To be
left TO rot one by one, IN Turkish prisons. To bo
stTaDglcd, or poisoned, and lost. To be executed,
and our heads sent TO the frontier towns las terror
to the BedOuins and trophies OF the greatest victory
Turkish arms have gained in Asia during this gen
eratonl as soon as they can trump mp some lying
excuse which shall suffice TO cover diplomatic indf.
ference on the part Of our respective representatives
What are those representatives dOlngg nave not
the slightest proof that our own know anything
about u.s. The Austrans are in the position Of those
who live in glass houses. The English Consul sent
word 10 0nT chief, Col. Eugene ORelly that nc was
doing all he could; waiting for instructions, tee-
graphing TO London and COnstantncple. Whether
thefact that the Colonel and his physician both
Uishmen has any influence on this utter Indifference,
and that the British Government, which, like %
Rnuity old woman, is smelling Eenianism IN every
breeze fears that the seeds Of the destroying mush
room have been waited 10 the Bagdad desert,
or whether it's fat officials will write notes
for three years preyious to second
Abysslnian crusade, neither know nor care but
ii the Turkish Government thinks it treat free
American citizens like its own rayahs. and, in this
nineteenth century utterly disregard its own stipu-
lated agreements either our authorities must force
its officers TO keep their agreements, and improve
their faith, or tho sooner We go frankly back TO the
days OF cutting of tho heads ears and noses land Of
punching out the eyes OF Giaours without reason,
and with impunity, the better.
What says America tO u.s. her sons. free-bom and
natuIalzedf CHAs. LAMAR
Prison, damascus, Oct. !, 1863.