National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-05-04
Rssurseard and the Black Flag.

from the chicago lnlet-OCeln.i
We print this morning General Beauregard's
letter addressed to Governor Porter, of Tenn
essee, in answer to the inquiry of the latte as
to whether he (Beauregard) had ever advo-
Gated the "shooting of all prisoners taken un-
der the American. flag" The charge was
made by General Frank Sherman, of this city,
and was given as a reason why the former
should not be invited to the approaching SOL
diers' reunion in Chicago. General Beaure-
gard confesses himself guilty, and very fool
ishly attempts to defend his course. He says
that after the first battle of Manassas, when
1t was reported that the Federal Government
refused to recognize Confederate prisoners as
prisoners of war, he and Stonewall Jackson
advocated "war to the knife" or what is gen.
orally termed the raising of the black flag.
He does not state, what he we'll knows, that
this "report" was false, and he does not in
form us that upon learning that it was false
he withdrew his recommendations. On the
contrary, he goes on to say that he repeatedly
advised the same course, sometimes on one
preteXt, sometimes on another. The advocacy
of such barbarity, under the excitement and
Indignation OF q report that 1t was to be fol-
lowed by the Union forces, might have been
hardened, but its Recommendation atter-
wards, and on the fiimsy excuse that the
forces under Sherman aud Sheridan were
guilty of unnecessary rigOr in conducting
the campaign, shows that the man
was as void OF humanity as subsequent events
proved him to be of. high military skill and
ability. Moreover, General Beauregard is not
such a stickler for the truth as might be de-
sired. We venture to say that no "report"
that Confederate prisoners were to be shot
ever came to him in a form to command Orli-
nary credence. Neither dove believe he was
so excited by the "emaciuted condition of re-
turned Southern prisoners" as to be provoked
into such utterly cruel recommendations. The
advice was the emanation OF a bad heart and
an unevenly- balanced head, and it is to the
credit of the Southern leaders that 1t was
practically ignored. The "beauty and booty"
order OF Beauregard, in which he endeayOred
to excite the hate and vengeance of his people
by deliberate falsehood, is we'll remembered
in the North: and there is another little docu-
mcnt whiIh, unfortunately for him, is histori-
cal, which further proves that he is not par
tiCularly mindful Of the truth. 1t was not
subsequently, when the Federals had pene-
trated certain portions of the South" AMI
"burDed Atlanta and Columbia, " that General
Beauregard again advocated this savage sys-
TEN of warfare. He did not wait for that.
When Mr.. Lincoln issued his preliminary pro-
clamation in 1862 in regard to slaves, and
warning rebels to lay down their arms, General
BeauregaTu sent inc following message 10
member of the Confederate Congress at Rich
moDd:
CHARLESTON, s. c., Oct. IS, 1862.
Hon. Wm. p. Miles, Richmond, "a:
Has the bill for the execution OF Abolition
prisoners after January next been passed? Do
Il, and England will be stirred into action. II is
high time to proclaim the black flag after that
period. Let the execution be with the zsrrote.
g. T BEAUREGARD.
1t is, perhaps, little creditable to the man
that he is ashamed to acknowledge now the
full measure of his guilt.
But all this, Gen. Beauregard thinks, is
amply atoned for by the fact that he treated
Union prisoners well and did not shoot them
when he so ardently desired to do so, and by
the further important fact that he once took
off his hat to a body of Union prisoners at Ber-
muda Hundred. His reference to the latter
fact is pretty fair indication of the calibre of
the man. We venture to say he has remem-
bered this striking act of condescension after
it has been forgotten by every one else who
observed it. 1t was gracious enough, but to
boast of it afterward takes away its merit. If
he had followed his own inclinations at the
time, and shot that body of gallant soldiers
after thus bowling to them, he would, we pre-
sumo, have regarded the performance as conf
plete. He ought to be heartily ashamed of
his frothy and sanguinary advice in this re-
gard, and instead of defending his course, ask
pardon OF the civilized world for his inhu-
mainly.