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716      DOUGLASS' MONTHLY.      SEPTEMBER, 1862
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CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN GEN. LEE AND GEN. HALLECK.
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HEACQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, }
August 13, 1862.               }

To Major General Hallcck:

To subjoined report was received at one o'clock this A. M.    Signed JOHN POPE,
Major General.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY BRIGADE,     }
Second Corps d'Armee of Virginia, }
August 13, 1862.                  }

To Col. Geo. D. Ruggles Chief of Staff:

I have the honor to report that in obedience to instructions received from the Major General commanding the army of Virginia this morning, I proceeded in the direction of Orange Court House with the 1st Vermont, Colonel Tompkins; 1st Michigan, Colonel Broadhead; 1st Virginia, Lieut. Col. Richmond; 5th New York, Col. Deforest, and four pieces of artillery.

About three or four miles from your headquarters I discovered the pickets of the enemy, and soon after two large bodies of cavalry, and the woods filled with footmen.  A strong line of skirmishers were thrown out, who drove in the pickets; when in range of the enemy a few shells were thrown which dispersed him in all directions.

The footmen kept in the wood and fled by the Rapidan Station.  The cavalry fled down the Orange Court House roads.

I pursued them cautiously fearing an ambuscade, to Crooked river which had swollen to such an extent that my artillery could not cross.  Part of the 1st Vermont and 1st Virginia cavalry swam the river and continued the pursuit to Robinson river which was so full and turbulent to be extremely dangerous.

In the pursuit a good many prisoners, wounded on Saturday, were found abandoned.  Major Anderson, chief of artillery to Gen. Jackson was found badly wounded at Crooked river, in charge of an assistant surgeon.

The flight of the enemy after Saturday's fight, was most precipitate and in great confusion.  His old camp was strewn with dead men horses and arms.  His flag of truce yesterday to bury his dead, afforded some more time for his escape.  The enemy to-day has the benefit os a hard rain, which puts high water between us.

Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN BUFORD,
Brigadier General.

HEADQUARTERS DEP'T of NORTHERN }
VIRGINIA,                      }
July 21, 1862.                 }

General:  It has come to my knowledge that many of our citizens engaged in peaceful avocations, have been arrested and imprisoned because they refused to take the oath of allegiance to the United States, while others by hard and harsh treatment have been compelled to take an oath not to bear arms against the government.  I have learned that about one hundred of the latter class have recently been released from Fortress Monroe.

This Government refuses to admit the right of the authorities of the United Statet to arrest our citizens and extort from then their parole not to render military service to their country under penalty of incurring punishment in case they fall into the hands of your forces.  I am directed by the Secretary of War that such oaths will not be regarded as obligatory, and persons who take them will be required to do military service.  Should your government treat the rendition of such yervice by these persons as a breach of pasrole and punish it accordingly, this government will resort to retaliatory measures as the only means of compelling the observance of the rules of civilized warfare.

I have the honor to be respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE, Gen. Commanding.

To Major Gen G. B. McClellan, commanding army of the Potomac. [[/column 1]]

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HEADQUARTERS FO THE ARMY,  }
Washington Aug. 13,1862.   }

To Gen. Geo. B. McClellan, Commanding Army of the Potomac:

General:——I have just received from the Adj. General's offie, your letter of L30, enclosing a letter from Gen. R. E.  ee, of July 21st.

The letters of Gen. Dix and Maj. Wood, will furnish you with the proper information.

For a reply to Gen. Lee's complaint in regard to the treatment of prisoners at Fortress Monroe, the Government of the United States has never authorized any extortion of oaths of allegiance or military paroles, and has forbidden any measures to be resorted to tending to that end.

Instead of extorting the oath of allegiance and paroles, it has refused the applications of several thousand prisoners to b allowed to take them and return to their homes in the rebel States.  At the same time this government claims and will exercise the right to arrest, imprison, or place beyond its military lines any person suspected of giving aid and information to its enemies, or of any other treasonable act.  And if persons so arrested voluntarily take the oath of allegiance or give their military parole and afterwards violate their plighted faith, they will be punished according to the laws and usages of war.

You will assure General Lee that no unseemly threats of retaliation on his part will deter this government from exercising its lawful rights over both the persons and property of whatever name or character.

Very respectfully your obedient servant,
H. W. HALLECK,
General-in-Chief, U. S. A.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,   }
Washington, August 7, 1862, }

To Gen. Lee Commanding, &c:

General:  Your letter of July 6th was received at Adjutant General's office on the 14th, but supposing from its endorsement that it required no further reply, it was filed without being shown to the President or Secretary of War.

I learn to day for the first time that such letter had been received and hasten to reply:

No authentic information has been received in relation to the execution of John Owen or Mumford, but measures will be immediately taken to ascertain the facts of these alleged executions, of which you will be duly informed.

I need hardly assure you, General, that so far as the United States authorities are concerned, this contest will be carried on in strict accordance with the usages of modern warfare, and that all excesses wiil be duly punished.

In regard to the burning of bridges, &c., within our lines by persons in disguise as peaceful citizens, I refer you to my letter of the 22d of January last, to General Price.  I think you find the views there expressed as not materially differing from those stated in your letter.

In regard to retaliation by taking the lives of innocent persons, I know of no modern authority which justifies it, excepting the extreme case of war with any uncivilized foe, which has himself first established such a barbarous rule.  The Unitdd States will never countenance such proceeding unless forced to do so by the barbarous conduct of an enemy who first applies such a rule to our own citizens.

Very Respectfully your obedient servant,
H. W. HALLECK,
Maj. Gen. Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF C. S.,  }
NEAR RICHMOND, Aug. 2, 1862. }

To the General Commanding the Army of the United States, Washington:

General:——On the 29th of June last I was instructed by the Secretary of War to enquire of Major Gen. McClellan as to the truth of alleged murders committed on our citizens by officers of the United States army.  The cases of Wm. B. Mumford, reported to have been murdered at New Orleans, by order of Major Gen. B. F. Butler, and Col. John Owen
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reported to have been murdered in Missouri, by order of Maj. Gen. Pope, were those referred to.

I have the honor to be informed by Major Gen. McClellan that he had referred these enquiries to his government for a reply.  No answer had as yet been received.

The President of the Confederate States has since been credibly informed that numerous other officers of the Army of the United States within the Confederacy, had been guilty of felonies and capital offenses, which are punishable by all laws, human and divine.

I am directed by him to bring to your notice a few of those best authenticated.——Newspapers received from the United States announce that Major General Hunter has armed slaves for the murder of their masters, and had done all in his power to inaugurate a servile war, which is worse than that of the savage, inasmuch that it superadds other horrors to the indiscriminate slaughter of all ages sexes, and conditions.

Brig. Gen Phelps is reported to have initiated at New Orleans the example set by Major General Hunter, on the coast of South Carolina.  Brig. Gen. G. N. Fitch, is stated in the same journal to have murdered in cold blood two peaceful citizens, because one of his men while invading our country, was killed by some unknown person while defending his home.

I am instructed by the President of the Confederate States, to report relative to the cases of Mumford and Owen, and to ask whether statements in relation to the action of Gen's. Hunter, Phelps and Fitch are admitted to be true, and whether the conduct of the Generals is sanctioned by their government.

I am further directed by His Excellency,the President, to give notice that in the event of not receiving a reply to these enquiries within fifteen days after the delivery of this letter it will be assumed that the alleged facts are true and are sanctioned by the Government of the United States.  In such event, on that Government will rest the responsibility of retaliatory measures which shall be adopted to put an end to the merciless atrocities which now characterize the war against the Confederate States.

I am, most respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,
Major General Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE C.S.A.,  }
NEAR RICHMOND, AUG. 2, 1862. }

To the General Commanding the United States Army, Washington:

In obedience to the order of His Excellency, the President of the Confederate States, I have the honor to make you the following communication:-

On the 22d of July last a cartel for a general exchange of prisoners was signed by Major General John A. Dix, in behalf of the United States, and by Major General D. H. Hillman, on the part of this government.  By the terms of that cartel it is stipulated that hereafter all prisoners of war shall be discharged on parole until exchanged.  Scarcely had the cartel been signed when military authorities of the United States commenced the practice, changing the character of the war from such as becomes civilized nations, into a campaign of indiscriminate robbery and murder.

A general order issued by the Secretary of War of the United States in the city of Washington, on the very day the cartel was signed in Virginia, directs the military commanders of the United States to take the property of our people for the convenience and use of the army without compensation.

A general order issued by Major-General Pope, on the 23d of July, after the date of the cartel, directs the murder of our peaceful citizens as spies, if found guilty of tilling their farms in his rear, even outside of his lines.  And one of his Brigadier Generals Steinwher caused innocent, peaceful inhabitants to be held as hostages to the end that they may be murdered in cold blood, if any of his soldiers are killed by some unknown
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