Year: 1862

HEADQ'Rs ARMY OF Va,
WASHINGTON, July 18.
GENERAL ORDER No7.


To the people of the Valley of the
Shenandoah and throughout the region
of operations of this army, living along
the lines Of railroad and telegraph and
the routes of travel in the rear of the
United States forces, are notified that
they win be held responsible for any
injury done the track line or road. or for
any attacks, upon trains or struggling
soldiers by bands Of guerrillas in their
neighborhood. No privileges or imma.
nitions Of war can apply to lawless bands
of individuals not forming part of the
organized forces of the enemy, nor wear
ing the garb of soldiers, who, seeking
and obtaining safety on the pretext of
being peaceful citizens, steal out in the
rear Of the army, attack and murder
| straggllng soldiers, modest trains of sup
plies, destroy railroads, telegraph lines
and bridges, and commit outrages dis
graceful to civilized people and revolving
to humanity.


Evil disposed persons in the rear Of
our armies, who do not themselves en-
gage directly in these Iawless acts, ,encour-
age them by refusing TO interfere or 20
give information by which such acts can
be prevented and the perpetrators pun
ished. Safety of the life and property
of all persons living in the rear of our
advancing army depend upon the main
tenance of peace and quiet among them
selves and upon :he unmolested move
ments through their midst of all pertain
ing to the military service. They are
to understand distinctly that the scrutiny
Of travel is their only warrant of personal
safety,


1t is, therefore, ordered, that whenever
n railroad. wagon road triegrapn ls
injured by parties Of guerriIIas, the citi-
zens living within five miles of the spot
shall be turned out en- masss to repair the
damage, and shall besides pay to the
United States in money or ir property,
to be levied by military force, the full
amount of the pay and subsistence of the
whole force necessary to coerce the
performance of the work during the time
occupied in completing it, If soldier
or legitimate follower of the army be-
fired upon from any house, the house
shall be razed TO the ground and the
inhabitants sent prisoners to the head
quarters of this army. If such an out
rage occur at any place distant from the
settlements, the people within five miles
around shall be held accountable, and
made to pay an indemnity sufficient for
the case.


Any persons detected in such outrages
either during the act or at any time
afterwards, shall be shot without waiting
civil process. No such acts can influence
the result Of this war, and they can only
lead to heavy afliction to the people to
no purpose. 1t is, therefore, enjoined
upon all persons, both for the security
Of their property and the safety of their
own persons, that they act vigorously and
cordially together to prevent the perpe-
tration Of such outrages.


While it is the wish of the General
commanding this army, that all peaceably
disposed persons who remain at their
houses and pursue their accustomed
avocations shall be subjected to no i'm
proper burdens Of war, yet their own
safety must oc necessity depend upon the
strict preservation of peace and order
among themselves, and they are to un-
derstand that nothing will deter him from
enforcing promptly and to the fullest ex-
tent, every provision of this order.


By order of Maj, Gen. Pope.


Gro. b. RUGGLEs,


Colonel A. A. G. and Chief Of Staff