The War of the Rebellion

[Form 4.]

Abstract of extra issues to prisoners of war at Lynchburg, Va., during the month of July by Capt. J. V. L. Rodgers, acting assistant quartermaster and assistant commissary of subsistence.

I certify on honor that I issued for the use of the hospital for prisoners of war during the month of July, 1862, thirty pounds candles and six gallons whisky. J. V. L. RODGERS,

Capt., Actg. Asst. Quartermaster and Commissary of Subsistence.

I certify that I have carefully compared the above abstract with the original returns now in my possession and find that they amount to six gallons of whisky and thirty pounds of candles.

GEO. C. GIBBS,

Colonel Forty-second North Carolina Regiment, Commanding.

EXCHANGE HOTEL, Richmond, Va., July 31, 1862.

Hon. G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War.

DEAR SIR: I inclose herewith a communication from Major Coffey, of the U. S. Army, who is here on parole to obtain an exchange for himself. Since no special exchange of prisoners will be recognized by the Government and no rule for a general exchange having as yet been agreed upon by the two Governments he desires to return home to Kentucky on parole until such general rule may be agreed upon. I know Major Coffey well. He is an honorable man and will adhere strictly to his pledge in my opinion. I had too this morning a long conversation with him, and in my judgment he will in nowise prejudice our cause should he return home.

Respectfully, &c.,

[Indorsement.]

W. E. SIMMS.

Should a general exchange not be effected shortly the circumstance of Major Coffey's case will be inquired into, and if he can be paroled and allowed to return home it will be done.

G. W. R.

[Inclosure.]

General WINDER.

EXCHANGE HOTEL, Richmond, Va., July 8, 1862.

SIR: This will be handed you by Hon. Colonel Simms, of Kentucky, a member of Congress (it is a true statement of my case), requesting that you permit him to deliver it to the Secretary of War. I was captured by Col. J. H. Morgan the 12th of May last at Cave City, Ky., on

53 R R-SERIES II, VOL IV

the cars while traveling from Louisville to Nashville. I was paroled by Colonel Morgan the next morning with the understanding that in case I failed to release Lieut. Col. Robert C. Wood that I was to report to him. I immediately went to Nashville, where Colonel Wood then was. General Dumont, then in command of that post, could do nothing in regard to the exchange. I then went to Washington City and laid my case before the Secretary of War, and I at one time thought my exchange effected, but Doctor Wood, the father of Colonel Wood, interposed and I was beaten. I then returned to Nashville by the way of my home in Kentucky, leaving my wife on a bed of sickness from which I fear she has not recovered. I have not heard from home since I left. As soon as I reached Nashville I obtained a pass and set out to report to Colonel Morgan. I crossed the Tennessee River at Courtland. Not finding Colonel Morgan there I recrossed the river at the same place and went to Huntsville, and from thence to Chattanooga, where I learned that Colonel Morgan had gone to Knoxville. My arrival at Chattanooga was telegraphed to General Smith, of Knoxville, who ordered me to report there, which I did. I remained there a few days and was then ordered by General Smith to report to Adjutant-General Cooper, of this city, where I arrived on Sunday, June 29, and have been confined to my hotel ever since, part of the time very sick. I think I have given you a true statement of my case, and now all I ask is if I cannot be exchanged at this time that I be allowed to go home and there remain until I am exchanged. I will honor my parole as much there as I will here.

Hoping that you will comply with my request, I subscribe myself, respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. A. COFFEY.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VALLEY DISTRICT,
July 31, 1862.

Hon. G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War.
SIR: The cartel for a general exchange of prisoners having been
agreed upon I hasten respectfully to urge upon you the importance of
having those of our men who were taken at the battle of Kernstown
on the 23d of March released as soon as possible. Apart from the fact
that their treatment in Fort Delaware has already caused much sick-
ness and some mortality amongst them, they were among the very best
soldiers in our army and their addition to our ranks at this time will be
of more service than to have five times the same number of recruits.
Most of the prisoners referred to are constituents of mine and I am of
course naturally solicitous to procure their speedy discharge.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. R. BOTELER.

HEADQUARTERS, Knoxville, July 31, 1862.

Col. W. M. CHURCHWELL, Provost-Marshal.

COLONEL: The commanding general directs that you inform me what publications have been made from your office or the offices of the deputy provost-marshals in relation to Confederate currency.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. CUNNINGHAM, Lieutenant and Acting Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS, &C., July 31, 1862.

Lieut. E. CUNNINGHAM, Acting Aide-de-Camp:

There have been no publications from this office in regard to Confederate currency, and I have not been apprised of any having been made from the offices of any of the deputy provost marshals.

Very respectfully,

W. M. CHURCHWELL,

Colonel and Provost-Marshal. R. F. FULKERSON,

Assistant Provost-Marshal.

RICHMOND, VA., August 1, 1862.

General R. E. LEE, Commanding, &c.

SIR: On the 29th of June last you were instructed by the Secretary of War to make inquiries of the general commanding the U. S. forces relative to alleged murders committed on our citizens by officers of the U. S. Army, and the cases of William B. Mumford, reported to have been murdered at New Orleans by order of Maj. Gen. B. F. Butler, and Col. John L. Owen, reported to have been murdered in the same manner in Missouri by order of Major-General Pope, were specially referred to. The inquiries thus made by you of Major-General McClellan were referred by that officer to his Government for reply but no answer has yet been received. We have since been credibly informed that numerous other officers of the armies of the United States have within the Confederacy been guilty of felonies and capital offenses which are punishable by all law human and divine. A few of those best authenticated are brought to your notice.

The newspapers received from the enemy's country announce as a fact that Major-General Hunter has armed slaves for the murder of their masters and has thus done all in his power to inaugurate a servile war which is worse than that of the savage, inasmuch as it superadds other horrors to the indiscriminate slaughter of all ages, sexes and conditions. Brigadier-General Phelps is reported to have imitated at New Orleans the example set by General Hunter on the coast of South Carolina. Brig. Gen. [Col.] G. N. Fitch is stated in the same journals to have murdered in cold blood two peaceful citizens because one of his men while invading our country was killed by some unknown person defending his home. You are now instructed to repeat your inquiries relative to the cases of Mumford and Owen, and further to ask of the commanding general of the enemy whether the statements in relation to the action of General Hunter, General Phelps and General [Colonel] Fitch are admitted to be true, and whether the conduct of these generals is sanctioned by their Government.

You will further give notice that in the event of our failure to receive a reply to these inquiries within fifteen days from the delivery of your letter we shall assume 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 the retributive or retaliatory measures which we shall adopt to put an end to the merciless atrocities which now characterize the war waged against us.

Very respectfully, yours, &c.,

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

GENERAL ORDERS,

No. 54.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Richmond, August 1, 1862.

I. The following orders are published for the information and observation of all concerned:

II. Whereas, by a general order dated the 22d of July, issued by the Secretary of War of the United States, under the order of the President of the United States, the military commanders of that Government within the States of Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas are directed to seize and use any property, real or personal, belonging to the inhabitants of this Confederacy which may be necessary or convenient for their several commands and no provision is made for any compensation to the owners of private property thus seized and appropriated by the military commanders of the enemy;

III. And whereas, by General Orders, No. 11, issued on the 23d of July, 1862, by Major General Pope, commanding the forces of the enemy in Northern Virginia, it is ordered that all

Commanders of army corps, divisions, brigades and detached commands will proceed immediately to arrest all disloyal male citizens within their lines or within their reach in rear of their respective commands. Such as are willing to take the oath of allegiance to the United States and will furnish sufficient security for its observance shall be permitted to remain at their homes and pursue in good faith their respective avocations. Those who refuse shall be conducted south beyond the extreme pickets of this army and be notified that if found again anywhere within our lines or at any point in rear they will be considered spies and subject to extreme rigor of military law. If any person having taken the oath of allegiance as above specified be found to have violated it he shall be shot and his property seized and applied to the public use;

IV. And whereas, by an order issued on the 13th of July, 1862, by Brig. Gen. A. Steinwehr, Maj. William Stedman, a cavalry officer of his brigade, has been ordered to arrest five of the most prominent citi zens of Page County, Va., to be held as hostages and to suffer death in the event of any of the soldiers of said Steinwehr being shot by bushwhackers, by which term are meant the citizens of this Confed eracy who have taken up arms to defend their homes and families;

V. And whereas, it results from the above orders that some of the military authorities of the United States not content with the unjust and aggressive warfare hitherto waged with savage cruelty against an unoffending people and exasperated by the failure of their effort to subjugate them have now determined to violate all the rules and usages of war and to convert the hostilities hitherto waged against armed forces into a campaign of robbery and murder against unarmed citizens and peaceful tillers of the soil;

VI. And whereas, this Government, bound by the highest obligations of duty to its citizens, is thus driven to the necessity of adopting such measures of retribution and retaliation as shall seem adequate to repress and punish these barbarities; and whereas, the orders above recited have only been published and made known to this Government since the signature of a cartel for exchange of prisoners of war, which cartel in so far as it provides for an exchange of prisoners hereafter captured would never have been signed or agreed to by this Government if the intention to change the war into a system of indiscriminate murder and robbery had been made known to it; and whereas, a just regard to humanity forbids that the repression of crime which this Government is thus compelled to enforce should be unnecessarily extended to retali ation on the enlisted men in the army of the United States who may be the unwilling instruments of the savage cruelty of their commanders,

so long as there is hope that the excesses of the enemy may be checked or prevented by retribution on the commissioned officers, who have the power to avoid guilty action by refusing service under a Government which seeks their aid in the perpetration of such infamous barbarities: VII. Therefore, it is ordered that Major-General Pope, BrigadierGeneral Steinwehr and all commissioned officers serving under their respective commands, be, and they are hereby, specially declared to be not entitled to be considered as soldiers, and therefore not entitled to the benefit of the cartel for the parole of future prisoners of war. Ordered further, that in the event of the capture of Major-General Pope or Brigadier-General Steinwehr, or of any commissioned officer serving under them, the captive so taken shall be held in close confinement so long as the orders aforesaid shall continue in force and unrepealed by the competent military authorities of the United States, and that in the event of the murder of any unarmed citizen or inhabitant of this Confederacy by virtue or under pretext of any of the orders hereinbefore recited, whether with or without trial, whether under the pretense of such citizen being a spy or hostage, or any other pretense, it shall be the duty of the commanding general of the forces of this Confederacy to cause to be immediately hung, out of the commissioned officers prisoners as aforesaid, a number equal to the number of our own citizens thus murdered by the enemy.

By order:

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

[Form 2.]

Abstract of provisions issued from the 1st of August, 1862, to the 17th of August, 1862, to prisoners of war stationed [confined] at Lynchburg, Va., by Capt. J. V. L. Rodgers, acting assistant quartermaster and assistant commissary of subsistence. (NOTE. The fractional parts of a pound must be stated in reducing to bulk.)