3. ATLANTA, GA., July 6, 1862. Hon. G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War, Richmond, Va. DEAR SIR: When in Richmond some weeks since I had an interview with you in regard to an exchange of prisoners and I also called your attention to the anxiety that Kentuckians felt in regard to BrigadierGenerals Buckner and Tilghman. You informed me that you had written to the Federal authorities to know whether General Buckner was in close confinement and that unless you received an answer within a reasonable time stating that the information which you had of his treatment was untrue you would put General Prentiss in close confinement and treat him just as you had heard Buckner was. This was to me satisfactory and highly gratifying and I informed the friends of Generals Buckner and Tilghman that I was satisfied that neither of them was treated as we had heard, because I had no doubts from what you said. to me that if such was the case our Government would retaliate by placing General Prentiss and other Federal officers in close confinement. I wrote Mrs. Buckner saying that I was satisfied that the information we had of the general's treatment was untrue. I did not doubt that such was the case until yesterday I met Capt. Stephen F. Chipley, of the E Second Kentucky Regiment, who has been paroled and is just through from Fort Warren. He informed me that some three or four days after General Buckner reached the fort he and General Tilghman were placed in solitary confinement in rooms with the windows closed up and that they were not opened until each pledged himself that they would not speak to or recognize any one from the windows, and this was required after a surgeon had certified that unless the windows were opened their health would give way and in all probability death would ensue. They were required to give their parole of honor that they would hold no communication with each other or with any one else. They have not since been permitted to recognize or speak to any one. Their officers in the prison with them have not been permitted even to salute them in their solitary walk upon the parapet. General Buckner has not been permitted to write a line to any friend since his confinement or to see any one. I am satisfied of the entire truthfulness of this statement. Captain Chipley is a man of intelligence and integrity and would make no statement that was not true. I have felt it only necessary to call your attention to the treatment of these gallant men to insure the adoption of such measures as will force the Federal Government to treat them in all respects as prisoners of war. I have no doubt that Generals Tilghman and Buckner have been treated thus at the instigation of Kentuckians in Washington City. I am also satisfied that you had no reliable information that these gentlemen had been treated in the manner detailed or a different course would have been pursued toward General Prentiss and the generals who have been recently captured in the series of battles before Richmond. There are thousands of true men in Kentucky and all in our Army from that State who feel a deep interest in all that concerns these generals, and many of them believe that there has not been that attention upon the part of the authorities to their treatment by the Federals which justice and humanity and their services to the Confederacy demanded. I am not one of those and have endeavored to correct this impression as far as I could by referring to my interview with you in Richmond some weeks since. I should be much gratified to hear from you in reference to what steps if any have been taken by our Government in the premises. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, [Indorsement.] Inform him that the fact of bad treatment was not only denied by the United States Government in answer to our demand, but also by Major Cosby, General Buckner's assistant adjutant-general, who was paroled for a short time and came to Richmond. He represented that with the exception of denying him intercourse with the other prisoners he was kindly treated, well lodged and allowed to take the air on the ramparts. Colonel Dimick, the U. S. officer in command at Fort Warren, is very friendly to General Buckner. As we exercise the right of separating prisoners we cannot call in question that of the enemy to do the same thing. [Inclosure.] [G. W. R.] Our Prisoners at Fort Warren. [From the Boston Journal.] There are now about 150 rebel prisoners at Fort Warren, which will probably be increased very soon. Three only are kept in close confinement: Charles Keene, a privateer, and Generals Buckner and Tilghman. Keene is only allowed out at 5 a. m. (reveille), to march with his tub, flanked by two of the guard, across the parade ground and back to his cell. The two generals are allowed, separately, to go out one hour each day, between 9 and 10 o'clock. Let our Government take a note of this. Our generals in close confinement in a fort, while the Yankee generals are allowed their liberty and suffered to lounge and luxuriate at our best hotels.—Examiner. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE, Knoxville, July 6, 1862. Brig. Gen. D. LEADBETTER, Commanding First Brigade. GENERAL: I am directed by the major-general commanding to inquire if descriptive lists of the Federal prisoners received by General Mitchel were taken by you. If they were taken as he supposes you will forward them without delay through this office for the information of the authorities at Richmond that they may be put upon the record. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, ORDERS, H. L. CLAY, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS LOUISIANA MILITIA, Opelousas, July 7, 1862. The Governor and commander-in-chief has been informed that parties in Calcasieu and Vermillion Parishes have refused and do refuse to receive in payment the notes of this State and also of the Confederate States, and that one Bertrand, residing in Grand Chenier, and one Corso, on Lake Charles, in the Parish of Vermillion, have posi tively refused the notes of this State and the Confederate States. These parties and all others who thus refuse the aforesaid notes are considered and are enemies to the Southern Confederacy and its cause and should be dealt with accordingly. Col. Daniel O'Bryan, of the Parish of Vermillion, will immediately on the reception of this order cause the arrest of Bertrand and Corso and of all others in his parish who have refused the notes of the State and of the Confederate States. and he will cause them to be imprisoned, examine facts, require of them to take the oath of allegiance, and in discharging them warn them not to commit the offense again. And should the act be committed again by the parties thus arrested he will cause them to be rearrested and held in jail until further orders from this department. By order of Thomas O. Moore, Governor and commander-in-chief: M. GRIVOT, Adjutant and Inspector General, Louisiana. WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, July 8, 1862. General WINDER, Commanding Department of Henrico. SIR: You will release the five Turners and Wybert and Peacock, civil prisoners now held in your custody, and send them out of your lines beyond Gordonsville. They will be kept under the observation of our officers and not allowed to go at large until they pass our lines. GEO. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War. MOBILE, ALA., July 8, 1862. Hon. THOMAS H. WATTS, Richmond, Va. MY DEAR SIR: The subject of the present letter has been one of serious reflection with me, and I venture to communicate it to you with the hope that it may receive from the proper authority the consideration which its importance demands. The hanging of George W. Mumford [William B. Mumford]* in New Orleans by order of General Butler was a brutal murder, not justified by any act committed by Mumford. That this Government owes its protection to its citizens is too plain a postulate to be denied, and that can only be done by its possessing the necessary power to restrain in the first instance by fear of its power of retaliation. The facts in this case are familiar to every man in the Confederacy, and the sanguinary and ignominious death inflicted upon one of our citizens awakened the indignant horror of every Southern man, innocent as he was of any offense. It does strike me that this act calls for retaliation, more so even than the case of the Confederate sailors captured during the war. In their case the President wisely and firmly informed the Lincoln Government that the law of retaliation should be enforced, and the consequence was our sailors were saved us. I submit that in this case the President should make a formal demand upon President Lincoln for the body of Benjamin F. Butler, to be delivered to him within a stipulated period, in order to try him for the murder of George W. Mumford [William B. Mumford.] That in the meantime he commit to close confinement Major-General McCall or some other distinguished Northern man, and inform Mr. Lincoln that unless Benjamin F. Butler, at the expiration of the time stipulated, was surrendered to him that he would hang General McCall; and in case of refusal to hang him. With one voice the whole Confederacy and Europe would applaud and sustain him. It would teach the miscreants and ruffians who now barbarously murder and afflict our people that our Government would protect every citizen against their outrages, and that its arm was long enough and strong enough to reach every offender. * See pp. 135, 328. In the palmy days of the proud old Roman Republic, "I am a Roman citizen," from the Persian borders to the Pillars of Hercules, was an ægis of safety to every Roman. Let our President inaugurate this principle and the terror which it will inspire in the hearts of the selfish Northern fanatics will insure protection and respect for such of our citizens as may unfortunately fall into their power, and thus wring from their cowardly fears rights which are recognized by every Christian nation as those of humanity consistent with the laws of war. The delivery of Butler or the hanging of McCall would strike terror and consternation through the entire Northern population. Its justice they would not gainsay and the terrible retribution following the ignominious murder of one of our Confederate citizens would afford to them and to Europe the sublime spectacle of a nation's power protecting the life or avenging the death of its humblest citizen. I write this to you with the view of its being laid before the President. You have known me many years and know how conservative I am in my opinions and feelings. I here express the unanimous sentiment of our people, and so far from time allaying the excitement caused by this act of merciless barbarity of the ruffian Butler, it has the effect only of making it more profound. With humble thanks to our Heavenly Father for the great victory achieved at Richmond by our gallant fellow-citizens, and uniting with you in prayer to Him that He will crown us with victories until we conquer peace and independence, I am, very truly, yours, F. S. BLOUNT. [First indorsement.] [RICHMOND,] July 15, 1862. Mr. PRESIDENT: Col. F. S. Blount, the writer of this letter, is a lawyer of distinction in Mobile and I have no doubt reflects fully the sentiments of the whole people for retaliation due to the base murder of Mumford, of New Orleans. I suppose, however, that the object of his communication has been the subject of consideration and that appropriate steps have been taken to have justice done in the premises. In accordance with Colonel Blount's request I respectfully ask your attention to his letter. T. H. WATTS. [Second indorsement.] Secretary of War to inform honorable Attorney-General of the action taken and confer on proposition submitted. [Third indorsement.] JEFF'N DAVIS. Send to the Attorney-General a copy of letter to General Lee in reference to Mumford* and inform him that a demand has been made on the United States Government in conformity therewith. GEO. W. RANDOLPH. *See Randolph to Lee, p. 792. William B. Mumford was put to death June 7, 1862. at New Orleans by order of Major-General Butler, pursuant to sentence of a military commission. See Butler to Secretary of War, Vol. III, this Series, June 10, 1862. p. 673, and also Special Orders, No. 70, Department of the Gulf, Vol. III, this Series, June 5, 1862, p. 645. For the killing of Col. John L. Owen see pp. 134, 233. Also see McClellan to Secretary of War, July 11, p. 170. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, General G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War. GENERAL: I am unwilling to communicate with the enemy through the lines about Westover. The best mode of communication will be by a small boat which could cross the obstructions in James River and meet a gun-boat under a flag of truce or go even as far as Westover. Major Allen, of Claremont, has such a boat. I authorized Doctors Guild and Cullen to communicate with McClellan yesterday from Shirley and to restore to him the wounded lying there on parole, but I have not yet heard whether they were able to do so. The delivery of the enemy's wounded into his hands will be difficult for us to accomplish, though it would be far better for them to be under the care of their own physicians and friends. If the boat can be obtained please let me know as I have some other communications which I wish to make to General McClellan under flag of truce. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, Hon. G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War. GENERAL: I regret exceedingly to hear of the ill-health of General Howell Cobb. I have written to General Wool, U. S. Army, on the subject of the exchange of prisoners and have appointed General Cobb commissioner on the part of the Confederate States to arrange with General Wool the question of exchange. Although General Cobb may be too unwell for active duty in the field, may he not be able to perform this duty? It is very desirable that he should do so as he has heretofore had this subject in hand and is more familiar with it than any one else now with this army. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. É. LEE, General. SPOTSWOOD HOUSE, Richmond, July 10, 1862. Hon. G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War. SIR: The inclosed letter from the Hon. Thomas A. Harris shows that some time since the attention of the President, as well as of yourself, was called to a cruel and flagrant violation of the rules of civilized warfare in the State of Missouri by the Federal authorities. In addition to what was brought to your attention by General Harris in his communications I have to call your attention to the order now issued and published by the officer in command at Saint Louis requiring every person found in arms in that State shot without even the form of a trial. This is nothing less than raising the black flag in that State. I submit whether this Government ought not to take some immediate steps of retaliation to protect our citizens against such outrages as will necessarily flow from such orders and rules of warfare. The enemy seems to practice upon no such rule in any other State in the Confederacy. The purpose of this letter is to know whether you have responded to General Harris' application by instituting any retaliatory |