The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-12

] :
that a few professed non-combatants Nv
ing at their homes in the Valley In the
euise Of peace had caught six wagons
without a train guard and burned
them.
II sheridan had told the whole truth
oboit the destruction Of the convoy Grant
would not have sent him such an order
because he would have known that
band Of marauders could not have per-
formed such a feat 1t is coincidence
that the order IS Of the same date as the
dispatch from General Lee announcing the
Perryville raid TO the Confederate War
/ Department:
Chains Bluff.
August 16, 1864.
Colonel Mosby reports that he attacked
the enemys supply train near Berryville
on the 18TH captured and destroyed 70
loaded wagons and secured over 200 pris~
oners. including several off1cers-between
500 and 500 horses and mules-upward OF
900 beef cattle-and many valuable stores.
Considerable number Of the enemy killed
and wounded His loss killed and 3
wounded. r. r. LEE-General
Hon. ]. A. Seldom. Secretary OF War.
This telegram was published the next
dav and was seen by General Grant. as
newspapers were regularly exchanged be-
tween the lines. II informed him Of the
status OF my command. IT was the first
public. official notice of me by General
Lee since General Grant came to Vir-
GINA The Berryvile raid was the first
! / ever reported 70 him by telegraph The
/ dispatch was sent by John Manson out
| to Gordonsville, and from there wired TO
| headquarters. The news was sent In haste
because I knew General Lees anxiety
49, a,,H
that It would relieve him to hear that
blow had been struck His dispatch to the
War Department shows the Importance he
attached TO 1t. He saw the effect IL would
have on Sheridan. 1t is a mystery Sheri
dan does not explain why he stopped talk
ing about hanging my men. 1t was not
because their manners had improved, or
that they had ceased TO annoy him He
gives no reason why there should be q
difference between the treatment OF my
men and other Confederates. There was
no regimental officer in the Confederate
army that was in as close relations with
the Commander in Chief as | was. The
records showed that ! reported directly
TO him and received instructions directly
from him. He commanded his army
through corps commanders my battalion
was the only exception. Although operat-
dependent OF Earlys army Early was in
front Of Sheridan-I was behind him.
] have quoted Sheridan's dispatches
CAugus, 18th TO Sept: 1lth) about his
hanging my men as guerillas. After tina,
he IS silent on the subject. If he ever
hung anybody he kept IL secret: l
never heard of II until / read it in the
war records. 1 am sure nobody else ever
did: the war CORRESPONDENTS never
mentioned It. When I retalated for the
massacre Of my men at Front Royal /
wrote him a letter telling him what 1
had done and published it in the news
papers. 1 have before me as l write the
editorial of Richard M. Smith of the
Richmond Sentinel commenting upon il.
If he hung any citizen of the Valley
their families and friends would have
known It and We would have heard OF IL,
The only justification of punishment is
TO act as a deterrent: if it is secret 1t
can have no such effect and is criminal
revenge. Now during the time when
Sheridan reports this carnival OF crime
not over half a dozen of my men were
taken prisoners these were captured by
Captain Blazer (who was soon after
ward annihilated by Richards and sent
to a Northern prison. Their names are
given i'm SCOTS Partisan Life page 290.
If Sheridan hung them there was a resJr-
rectiOn for they returned home after the
war. and / know some of them are living
now. He also speaks of discriminating
three of my officers. Now during that
time | lost but one ofiicer-Lieuterant
Frank Fox: Captain Sam Chapman
routed the 9Th New York Cavalry near
Berryville: Fox was severely wounded and
left at farm house. Afterward Torbcrt
came along with his cavalry corps put
him in an ambulance, and sent him 20
Harpers Ferry where he died of his
wound. He was not hung Sheridan was
not as black as he painted himself. The
object of retaliation Is not revenge. Hall
on international Law says: "Reprisal, or
the punishment Of one man for the acts
OF another. is a measure I'm itself so re-
puenant 10 justice, and when hasty or
excessive Is so apt TO increase rather than
abate the Irregularities Of war, that
boligerents are universally considered 10
be bound not to resort 10 reprsals except
under the pressure of absolute necessity,
and then not by way Of revenge. but only
in cases and to the extent by which an
enemy may be deferred from a repetition
OF his offence" If ] had not retaliated
the war I'm the Valley would have de-
generated into a massacre. We were
called guerillas and bushwhackers. These
should not be opprobrious epithets since
the exploits OF 'the embattled farmers"
at Concord and Lexington have been
sung in Emerson's immortal ode. Now
while bushwhacking is perfectly legti-
mate war. and IL IS as fair 10 shoot from
a bush as behind a stockade or an earth
work. no men IN the Confederate army
less deserve these epithets than mine. II
by them is meant a body of men who
fought under cover and practiced tactics
and stratagems not permitted by the rules
of regular war. Sheridan certainly makes
no such charge against us. A bush
whacker shoots under shelter with
long rang gun: the Northern cavalry
knew by experience that my men always
fought I'm a mounted charge with pistols
The fact that we We're called rebels gave
the enemy no rights as combatants that
we did not equally enjoy As belllgeren,s, 4.
we stood on the same plane. One side
could not demand what II did not con-
cede 20 the other. Massachusetts fur
nishes high authority in favor of the
richfs OF men who fight I'm cause
TINT has grown from an instruction
into an international conflict. In his
Bunker I'm address Mr.. Webster said
The battle Of Bunker Hill was attended
z,ltt tho mos. imnortant effects bevond