Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-01-30
The Dynamite Outrapcs.


There can not be any difference of opin-
ion among persons Of sound minds and
civilized instincts, in regard to the char
acter of the Outrages against civilization
and humanity, which have thrown Eng
land into turmoil and shocked the Chris
tian world. TO blow up buildings and
bridges under the feet of unarmed citi-
zens, is not only ineXpressibly outrageous
in time Of peace but according to the
best rules of modern warfare, is not al
lOwable rs an act of war. If Ireland and
England were at war, the blowing up of
the Parliament houses, by concealed ex-
plosives, would not be recognized as legit-
innate warfare and the use of such bar
barous measures would turn the sym
pathies of the civilized world against the
side that employed them.
1t is interesting to recall in this cOnnec-
ton a bit of the history of our civil war.
When Mcclellan was moving on Rich
mond, in the first peninsular campaign,
and the Confederate forces were
falling back before him, II number
of Union soldiers were killed and
wounded, at Yorktown, by explosions OF
torpcdocs buried in the abandoned works,
The facts were mentioned by Gen. Nc
Clellan in one of his reports, which reach
ed Gen. Joe Johnston through New York
papers, and he at once ordered an inquiry
into the matter The Confederate CORES
pondence on the subject is printed in Part
of the Eleventh volume of the Official
Records of the War, just issued. In this,
Gabriel J. llainS--thc man who mustered
intOthc United States service several of the
Vermont regiments in 1851, and who sub
sequently joined the rebel army-iigures
prominently. Rains had made the use of
concealed torpedOcs Il hobby as far back as
the Seminole war; and began operating
with them as soon rs he obtained an
opportunity in the Confederate service.
He was now, in May, 1862, COIN
handing brigade in Longstreets corps
in front of Richmond. His brigade was
ON the nth of May the rear guard of the
corps, and an order, sent him by General
Longstrcet that day, contained the follow
ing words at is the desire of the Major
General commanding, that you put out no
shells or torpedOeS behind you, us lie does
not recognize it us il proper or effective
method of war" Rains felt so badly over
this interference with his pet project that
he appealed to the Confederate war de
partment, setting forth the vast advantages
to be obtained from the use of concealed
turpedOes, claiming them as his own in
ventiOn, and declaring that he was I'M
willing to forcgo the use OF them. Gen
eral ID. IL. Hill, a brother North CAROLYN
ian, added his endorsement rs follows
In, IN Of Il
our brutal enemies are lawful and proper
The decision of the Confederate war de
partrnent, announced by Mr. Randolph,
Davis's Secretary of War, was, that it
was mot admissible to plant shells mere
ly to destroy life and without other design
than that of depriving the enemy of II
few men without materially injuring
him - that General Rains must obey Gen
eral IOnGstreet'S order and that if not
suited, Rains could be assigned to the
river defeuces, where the use of torpcdoes
was legitimate and proper. Rains was ac-
cordngly 50 transferred and made chief Of
the naval torpedo service Of the Confed-
eraCy.
The disposition made of this question by
the Confederate war department, was
in accord with the most approx
ed rules Of modern warfare. But if it
would not be allowable to plant
dynamite in abandoned oarth-work-
between hostile armies, how much more
barbarOus and repugnant to civilization is
the use of dynamite in u crowded city in
time of peace, and to the injury and terror
of peaceful citizens, rs a'means of proInot-
N llt il Il " IA t.r