The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-10
GENERAL BEAUREGARD AND THE WAR
no rHE EDITOR or rHE HERALp:-


or mis- career. permit me TO ofrer a few remarks
upon his recent letter 10 Governor Porter, or Ten
nessee, which by some has been greatly misunder'
stood partly because SO materially mtsprinted
General Beauregaad Is man OF very great natura
Kindness this was one OF che traits Wnlcn won
for him the devoted attachment OF his offlcers and
men. Through the same sprIt he was careful that
the kindest treatment should be given 70 all cap
tured Toes, and, consistently since the war, nu
Confederate leader mas been more moderate 10
counsel when asked for 1t, and more earnest thai
the strife OF bygone days should yield TO the moral
and material benefits OF an honest reconcilement
lie has met his old comrades OF tne United States
Army on the most friendly terms, and, during the
recent menace OF war with Spain, he attended, with
some or them, an inspection OF the Mississippi
defences freely communicating the results OF MA
own recent thought upon pertinent military mat
ters In letter TO the writer at the time, he ex.
pressed his pleasure over their cordial renewal o
old associations, saying ;-"Tns Is truly casplng
hands across the bloody chasmp
The invitation therefore, by the soldiers, salon
and citizens Of Chicago all those who recognize
the American nag - &c, could not have embraced
. more gallant ana generous heart, and am sure
that the bouncing objection, made on that occa
sion By an individual bearing military title tnat
no invitation should be sent TO General Beaure'
gard, "ss man VINO mad said he was In favor o.
nagn would not have received any notice from
the General had he not Deen addressed on the
subject In a friendly letter by the Governor OF Ten.
nessee Then, with q characteristic iTankness,
which Will not surprise his friends, the General,
while stating TO Governor Porter what mis- actual
treatment OF prisoners had been. referred ass
to the discussions about retaliation raised by tho
casual exigences OF the war;
AS TO his actual conduct, he deserves the high
whom gratitude Is not an absent quality. This
may be shown ty q few signal Instances.
First-After the battle OF Manassas he spon-
taneously paroled the captured federal surgeons,
awaiting the governments assent to his request
Tor their unconditional release as noncombatants,
which was granted. He urged that this should be
the practice on both sides to the end OF the war;
anu, In like manner, he released the surgeons
captured at the battle OF Shiloh. II contrasts ara
TO ne made, It may be said that General Haieck,
later, when sending back Confederate surgeon
exacted o reglmental lieutenant colonel In ex
\ change.
THIS treatment OF surgeons as pon-combatants
4 introduced fourteen years ago by Beauregard, has
been lecently proposed in Europe as q humane
innovation.
Second-At the battle OF Manassas some six or
4 eight Rhode Island soldiers were captured who
had shown personal kindness TO a wounded Con.
4 federate otflysr. These men were Internationally
released by Beauregard upon his learning that
\ TACT.
4 Thtrd-At the battle OF Balls Blun papers were
1 found on the dead body or General Baker, which
/ afterward seemed necessary to vndcate General
4 stone the federal commander, when he was put
on trial Tor his conduct OF that action. These pa
pers were cnIvalrously sent by Beauregard,
under nag OF truce, to General stone, because
he himself had SHOWN particular regard Tor the
ame mites or war.
Fou,'th-It occurred frequently that, pendina
operations, captured prisoners were brought to
headquarters. These received their meals az
\ Beauregards own mess table. having the same
food as himself and stan and on several such occa
i sions wers received as immediate guests, without
reference TO their rank.
FUrh-In 1868 a number Of negro prisoners werA
captured on James Island Ia an attempt that waa
made carry tnat vital portion OF tue deences OF
the city OF Charleston, and the Governor OF south
Carolina formally demanded their surrender for
trial under an old law or the State. Beauregard,
however, refused, alleging that In his hands tue.
we're captured enemies aud entitled TO the same
treatment as other prisoners OF war.
Sfrth-At the battle Of Drury's Biun on the
James River, In May, 1864, where Beauregard cap
tured about 5000 prisoners, he saluted, as he
passed, a BODY OF them who had defended tneir
position with great bravery, and his courtesy was
answered by tnsr cheers.
Moreover whenever 1t could be done with
\ safety, prisoners In his possession were at once
sent across lines particularly in 1882, subject
TO ultimate exchange, thus escaping the necessary
nardships OF prolonged detention. And, when
ever requested, the General admitted supplies 70
be sent from the federal lines to MS prisoners,
with studous care that they should be so applied
AS TO the severe measures theoretically advo
Gated by him and others, as well az By the press,
In certain exigencles OF the war, they should not
be mlsuu derstood or misstated as proposed orig.
insl measures, being the very opposite Of his uni
form conduct; they we're solely in the way OF rets
liation, as allowed by the rules ofwar and deemed
Il upon ihe Information OF the time, to DE the only
means of protecting other lives cast IN the same
cause. IL must be remembered that Tor long
time captured Confederate prIvateersmen, con-
Y demned to death py hanging, were held 10 irons
under this threat and denied the rights OF prison
ers OF war.
4 The federal code itself, published as Generai
4 orders 100 and formulated by DR.. Lieber from the
harshest aud obsolete practices. went the greatest
y length on this same point OF retaliation and
directed the execution OF certain classes Of pris-
oners.
\ therefore, while Beauregard's actual conduct
II the true measure OF men-was such, la respect to
prisoners, as to claim the highest esteem, MS sug-
geston OF the contingent application OF the
severer laws OF war was from the exlgencies OF
tue time as presented to aim and others, ana was IN
the interest OF humanity, to protect those whom
II was their first duty to protect.
\ 1t was General Beauregard's part to be the nrss
to bear successfully the standard OF tue Conied-
eracy, and, as consequences, upon him was as
once poured q pent up political passion OF many
years as we'll as the new anger excited by civil
war. he. therefore, became the subject OF much
idle abuse carried even to the ludicrous point OF
accusing him OF borrowing nom q plantation the
name which his fathers mad borne for centuries,
and which mad won military distraction In his an
cestral country.
But, rather than TO foster false impressions OF
Y acts and character, 1t should be the duty OF the
few who stln cherish prejudice TO endeavor to
initiate Beauregardis own example In laDoring