The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-10-07

much SO as ambuscades, masked batteries and
mines. For their effectiveness refer to the
| enemy.
Believing as do the vast advantages to our
country to be gained from this invention am
unwilling to forego it, and beg leave to appeal
direct to the war department..
Respectfully forwarded.
In my opinion all means of destroying our
brutal enemies are lawful and proper.
D. II. HILL.
General Joseph E. Johnston, COM
mander of the army ii the field, on the
day following General Longstreet's &C
tion instituted an inquiry through the
headquarters of General D. II. Hill.
His letter, dated May -, was az fol:
lows: E.5.
General Johnston desires that you inquire
into the inclosed report, taken from tho New
York Herald, May 6, 1862 to ascertain II there
is any truth in thu statement, to find out If
there were any torpedoes placed, and if 80,
when where and by whom.
The works where the enemy say the torpe-
does were placed were those at Yorktown.
Enclosure
TORPEDOES. O..
Extract from General McClellan's report.1
The rebels have been guilty of the most
murderous and barbarous conduct in placing
torpedoeS within the abandoned works near
wells and springs and near fagstafgs, .uaga-
zines and telegraph Offices III ,:erpetbags,
barrels of flour, etc.
We have not lost many men in this Mariner
some four or five killed and perhaps q dozen
wounded. I shall make the prisoners remove
them at their peril.
These papers were sent to Major Cen
eral Hill, were referred by him to Brig
adler General Rains and were answered
under date Of May IA.
In explanation of the torpedoes Rains
wrote:
That invention is strictly mine, as we'll as
the essential parts Of Colts weapons for the
use of which have never been called to &C
count.
If it be required to know what use have
made of the invention, answer commanded
at Yorktown for the last seven months, and
when General Mcclellan approached with his
army Of 100, GOO men and opened his cannon
upon us I had but $500 in garrison, and our
whole army of the peninsula, under Major
General Magruder, amounted to but $500 eff
fective mon. Then, at salient angle, an ac-
cessible point of our works, rs part OF the de-
lenses thereof, had the land mined with the
weapons alluded to, to destroy assallants and
prevent escalaide. Subsequently, with u!milar
view, they were placed at spots never saw.
And again, when at Williamsburg, we were
ordered to turn upon our assailants and COM
bat with them some four shells, found
abandoned by our artillery, were hastily pre-
pared by my efforts and put in road near a
tree felled across, mainly to have q moral ef-
feet in checking the advance of the enemy.-for
they were too small to do more-to save cur
sick, wounded and enfeebled who struggled in
our rear.
All the papers in the case were sent
to G.. W. Randolph, the Confederate
secretary of war, who Endorsed thereon
the rules adopted at Richmond.
Whether shells planted in roads or parapets
are contrary to the usages of war depends
upon the purpose with which they arc used.
1t is not admissible in civilized warfare to
take life with no other object than the destruc-
ton of life; hence it is inadmisslble to shoot
sentinels and pickets, because nothing is at
tanned but the destruction of life. it would DO
admissible, however, to shoot general be.
cause you not only take life. but deprive All
army of it's head. -
1t is admissible to plant SHELLS In parapet
to repel an assault or in road to check pur.