Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-24
THE HUMANITlES
OF ANY WAR
BY General o. o. Howard, L. S. A.

l have been asked to write on the
established amenities of civilized war;
fare.
There are well settled principles of
modern international law and custom
of service:
l.. Concerning Prisoners of Wharf.-The
published regulations which pertained
to prisoners Of war. issued by the wal
department in 1861, With which / was
familiar at the outbreak of our civil
war, We're brief-to-wit: Prisoners on
captpre We're to be disarmed and sent
to the rear, and prompt eturn made
specifying number, rank and corps.
Rank was to be carefully observed,
and private property duly respected.
Obedience OF the captives was required
and a ration daily given to each.
The eneny's wounded were to have
the ann care as our wounded: but spe-
cial allowances over and above those
named, also paroles and exchanges
We're left to be settled by specific con-
ventions between the belligerents.
A single phrase has since then been
added to our regulations which is now
part of the in%ternational agreement,
viz: prisoners of war shall be treated
by the captor with humanity
TIL Geneva convention of 1864, in
which eleven nationalities We're repre-
scented, succeeded in establishing a few
important rules for mitigating some of
the evils of war, particularly those re-
lating to the sick and wounded:
l. They made hospitals and ambu-
lances for all wounded neutral.
=. The medical service people and
chaplains, all engaged in the care OF
the wounded, We're t participate in the
benefit of that neutrality.
]. Inhabitants, nom cOmbatants, to
be allowed to aid and care for the
wounded without detriment to them
selves.
4. Soldiers wounded or i'll to be cared
for regardless of nationality.
j. The distinguishing badge and flag
to be uniform for ambulances and hos
pitals-a red cross on a white ground,
with the national flag near at hand.
The provisions have been agreed to
by nearly all civilized powers, the
United States having acceded to them
in 1882.
We may add concerning our own
custom of service during our civil war
that it was universal to observe these
or similar humane regulations. In
those instances on either side where
prisoners, wounded or sick men We're
otherwise treated, there was strong
protest from all quarters and deep feel
ing of indignation manifested. The
principle of action demanded, however,
was as clear as day, and that principle
, was humanity, resulting in kline treat
ment.
During that great contest we had the
sanitary and the Christian commission
to supplement all the possible govern
mental relief to prisoners, to sick and
wounded. and I1rino tha SnonjSh >rnr
came forward the International Red
Cross society, the Army and Navy
I Christian commission and other pri-
t Vate benevolence for the same purpose
e such We're some of the amenities that
: appeared to mitigate sorrow and suf-
fering in those times when the clouds
of disaster were heaviest.
. ?. Concerning Soldiers Who Offer to
Observation-Disclosures on international
law says: Recent wars between civ
, ilized powers have afforded no instance
of the slaughter OF a garrison" We
= thought we had a case of such slaugh-
q ter at Fort Pillow, but the evidence
3 since the war, it is claimed, shows that
the soldiers of the garrison, as a rule
: kept to their arms and resisted sur
0 render.
The loss of the confederates was very
excessive when in 1864 Fort McAlliste1
{ was taken. but the commanding officer
refused to surrender, so that Gen. Ha-
a zen's men were Obliged to pursue and
o defeat them from traverse to traverse
q OF course, soldiers defeated on the bat.
d tlefield are entitled to have considered
o the least sign of a wish to surrender.
a Many followers of the Mahdi in Up.
o per Egypt and rough Filipinos in Lu-
ION have been treacherous and speare(
or shot their %captors. / have had but
few experiences of a personal nature
= bearing on the subject of soldiers sur.
o rendering in battle during the active
y conflict.
At Fair Oaks. however, June 1. 1862
two of my regiments in deployed line
e charged through a thin confederate
g line of battle. l noticed hen that tn,
d confederate soldiers gave up as sool
l. as we broke and passed their line. ant
% ran back to our rear to be cared fo,
If by our provost marshal. No Yanke,
" soldier molested a mar who thus ceaset
re fighting. 1t that time of the war on
re captives We're treated with respect ant
kindness. certainly by the soldiers VIII
had fought them.
vi There We're, doubtless, instances il
,e the heat of battle where individual
violated this custom of service and al
IS lowed the passion of the moment t
m rule. Capt. William Duncan of m.
ID escort, reported to me two cases Wher
Ia a commissioned officer shot a prisone
after the prisoner had offered to sur
render. TIL circumstances We're I'm
in usual. The said officer was just thel
in peril of his own life and crazy t.
n escape from Duncan's on-comin'
scouts
If a British officer ordered or JUST
fed that sort of brutal conduct he vii
at surely be called to a severe account TO
10 it. Our own cavalry under such me
lv as Custer and Fitzpatrick, and the con
federate under Stuart and Wheele,
20 made some terrific charges where YER
lo few soldiers asked for quarter. We
-. cnu,a individuals njpbt have 1nna g
and not have obtained it in the hig
- excitement of battle.