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HEADQUARTERS, August 11, 1862.

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

GENERAL: I beg leave respectfully to suggest that the prisoners recently taken, including those from Pope's army, be paroled as soon as possible. It was reported to me that many of those taken at Malvern Hill asked with anxiety if they would not be paroled and seemed delighted when answered in the affirmative. General Stuart observed the same in reference to prisoners taken by him, and General Jackson infers from the reports made to him of the remarks of prisoners from Pope's army that his men are very tired and are inclined to surrender. It may all be a Yankee trick, but if not I have thought it would produce a good effect to let them get back soon. Those who sell themselves, especially since a draft is ordered by the authorities of the United States, will find it easy to make their money.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[First indorsement.]

R. E. LEE,

General.

Respectfully referred to the President. I presume that the general [is] referring to privates and non-commissioned officers. The commissioned officers have been separated from the others and informed that they will be treated as hostages. There are thirty-nine of them, including General Prince.

[Second indorsement.]

G. W. RANDOLPH,
Secretary of War

General Lee of course referred only to enlisted men. Of this I am doubly assured by a recent conversation on the subject. To that extent his view is approved.

J. D.

General S. COOPER:

CHATTANOOGA, TENN., August 11, 1862.

Large number of exchanged prisoners will soon be at Vicksburg. Shall they join their regiments immediately? No instructions have been received for disposition of enemy's prisoners in this department. Shall I send them to Vicksburg?

BRAXTON BRAGG,
General, Commanding.

SALT SULPHUR SPRINGS, August 11, 1862.

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

A letter has been received from Colonel Crook, commanding Federal brigade, by flag of truce informing me that Mr. Samuel Price, of Greenbrier, an unarmed and peaceful citizen, some time since arrested, would be dealt with in the same way as Doctor Rucker. May I request that Lieutenant-Colonel Starr and the other commissioned officers taken at Summersville be retained as hostages for Mr. Price and that I be advised of the fact. I will send the correspondence to Richmond by mail.

W. W. LORING,
Major-General.

PONCHATOULA, LA., August 11, 1862.

Maj. Gen. JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE, Camp near Baton Rouge.
GENERAL:

*

A Capt. H. L. Daigre came in during the night with ten prisoners captured near New River. He reports Donaldsonville as burned on Friday at 11 o'clock, an insurrection among the negroes in Ascension Parish and the killing of forty or fifty of them; that since Friday the boat has taken down more troops than were brought up; that the Weightman, loaded with the dead and wounded from Baton Rouge, was run into by a gun-boat (accidentally) and sunk with all on board, and several other items of interest, which I hope will reach you in reliable shape. Captain Daigre takes his prisoners to Camp Moore. They were the crews of schooners which he captured and burned. He also captured a steam-boat which showed French papers and was released. He desires instructions in regard to her if again caught.

*

Yours, most respectfully,

*

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Brig. Gen., Missouri State Guard, on Special Service, C. S. Army.

General B. BRAGG, Chattanooga:

RICHMOND, August 12, 1862.

You will receive by General Lloyd Tilghman, who left here three days ago, a letter of instruction in reference to the exchanged prisoners. You are charged with the duty of reorganizing them for immediate service in the field. Instructions have been given for their subsistence and pay. Col. G. W. Lee was appointed upon General R. E. Lee's recommendation and should have a fair trial. He has had great difficulties to encounter. If, however, he turns out to be ineffi cient he will be removed.

G. W. RANDOLPH,
Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, Tenn., August 13, 1862.

To the EAST TENNESSEEANS IN THE U. S. ARMY:
You must all now be convinced that you have been grossly deceived
by the misrepresentations of those under whom you are serving. I
therefore announce to you that a final opportunity is afforded you to
return to your homes and your allegiance. I offer you a general
amnesty for all past offenses, the only condition being that you take
the oath of allegiance to the Government and that you conduct your
selves as becomes good citizens. You will receive a fair price for any
arms, ammunition and equipments you may bring back with you.
[E. KIRBY SMITH,]
Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,

HDQRS. DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI, No. Jackson, August 14, 1862. All Confederate officers and soldiers prisoners of war and now on parole in this district will report without delay at these headquarters By order of Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn:

M. M. KIMMEL, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,

ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Richmond, August 14, 1862.

XXII. Maj. N. G. Watts, assistant quartermaster, is hereby assigned to duty as agent for the exchange of prisoners at Vicksburg, Miss. He will report to Col. Robert Ould, in this city, for instructions.

By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA,
Narrows, August 14, 1862.

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

SIR: I have the honor to inclose copies of a correspondence between Col. George Crook, of the Federal Army, commanding at Meadow Bluff, and officers of this command, under my direction. The letters are in reference to the shooting of one of our pickets named Robinson and the arrest of Mr. Samuel Price, of Lewisburg, as hostage for Doctor Rucker, taken by us at Summersville.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

W. W. LORING, Major-General, Commanding.

[First indorsement.]

Respectfully submitted to the President for his information. Until the result of the inquiry made by the enemy is known no further action seems necessary.

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Returned. The infamous conduct both in the treatment of a prisoner and the poisoning of bread should secure to Captain Harrison if punished, to the enemy if he is not, a notoriety of shame.

[Inclosure No. 1.]

J. D.

HEADQUARTERS, Monroe County, August 1, 1862.

Col. GEORGE CROOK,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Meadow Bluff.

COLONEL: I have been directed by the commanding general to bring to your attention an instance of flagrant outrage of the customs of waran inhuman attempt to murder-committed by armed soldiers of your command belonging as we are informed to the company of Captain Harrison. I give you the statement of Robinson when he supposed himself to be on his dying couch.

Besides the statement of Robinson I have other satisfactory evidence to corroborate it, leaving no doubt of the truth of his statement. Robinson was left wounded and as his murderers thought dying.

The commanding general deems it proper to bring this case to your special notice and to ask that inquiry be at once instituted, feeling

assured that the perpetrators of a crime so infamous will be brought to swift and certain punishment and the act disavowed by the proper authority.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. MCCAUSLAND,

Colonel, Commanding.

[Sub-inclosure No. 1.]

Testimony of Alex. Robinson.

JULY 10, 1862.

I was in an apple orchard and the enemy came up in twenty steps of me before I saw them, and I remained perfectly still, being on my horse. One told me to surrender, which I did immediately, at the same time dropping my gun and saber. Another told me to surrender. I told him I had surrendered (having then no arms) and asked him not to shoot me. Another said, "God damn you, why didn't you surrender before when you were shooting at us last night?" They all exclaimed. "Damn him, shoot him!" Upon which all fired at me. Two balls passed through my body. I then fell off my horse, and while I was lying on the ground one came up saying, "Damn him, let me ride over him and mash his damn brains out." Another said, "No, let me shoot him again." A third said, "He will die anyhow; let him alone.” ALEX. ROBINSON.

I was present and heard Mr. Alex. Robinson, who is a private in Company F, Eighth Virginia Cavalry, make the within statement of the circumstances under which he surrendered himself a prisoner. grounded his arms and was afterwards shot by Federal soldiers. Mr. Robinson was in his right mind at the time; pronounced the statement correct when read to him and wrote his own signature thereto. I was also informed by a citizen who knew the officer commanding the Federal cavalry who shot Robinson as stated and that his name is Harrison.

WM. N. HARMAN,

Captain, Commanding Company F, Eighth Virginia Cavalry.

I have just written the within testimony of Alex. Robinson and do hereby certify that the within are his exact words, written as he has just related them to me, and to which after being read to him he signed his name and said. "They are correct."

J. C. ALDERSON, Lieutenant, Greenbrier Mounted Riflemen.

[Sub-inclosure No. 2.]

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH VIRGINIA CAVALRY,
Camp Jones, July 13, 1862.

Col. JOHN MCCAUSLAND.

SIR: The only evidence we can get in regard to the shooting of Pri vate Robinson is his own statement, given as he supposes on his death bed. He is not dead yet, but the surgeons say there is but little hope of his recovery. He says he had surrendered, and the Yankees told him he ought to have surrendered the night before when he was firing at them, and at the same moment several of them fired at him, two shots taking effect that will I have no doubt cause his death.

I am very glad you have determined to have an investigation of the matter, as it would have caused a great deal of trouble if it had not been noticed.

There is another matter about as bad as this in my humble opinion. One of my wagons had been sent after provisions when I left camp, and not having transportation sufficient some one of the companies had left about a third of a barrel of hard bread in the camp. The Yankees were in the camp as they came up and went back and tried to drive out some cows that were in the field but did not succeed. The next morning the owner of the cows found two of them dead and a third about dying and all the bread gone. It had been poisoned! the cows had eaten it and two out of three had died. The devils had tried to drive the cows out to prevent their eating the bread, thinking that our men would get it as we came back, which no doubt they would have done had it not been destroyed by the cattle.

I sent Captain Herndon out yesterday morning with his company. He went within three miles of Blue Sulphur and he reports that he saw nothing of the enemy. He brought out some bacon from Mr. Jarrett's, near Blue Sulphur. One of the infantry companies was also on the other side of the river and one of my companies was out on the Rollinsburg road, but saw nothing.

One of the officers of the Yankee cavalry, Harrison, told the people all along the road that they only came up here to get his children, which, with many other reports going through the country, such as the wives of the Yankee officers gathering up their clothing, which had been scattered through vicinity of the Bluff to be washed, looks as if they were really making preparations to fall back from that place. We can get no correct information, but it seems to be generally believed that they will leave the Bluff very soon, either back or forward. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. F. COOK, Lieutenant-Colonel Eighth Virginia Cavalry.

[Inclosure No. 2.]

HEADQUARTERS THIRD PROVISIONAL BRIGADE,

Meadow Bluff, August 10, 1862.

COMMANDING OFFICER OF C. S. FORCES,

At or near Union, Monroe County.

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that the case of one of your soldiers being murdered by Captain Harrison's company of cavalry is now being investigated at the post where that company is stationed, nd if you have any additional evidence in the case will you please orward it as early as possible. The general commanding this division directs me to say to you—

That any acts of officers or men of this army contrary to the Rules and Articles of War toward any of the enemy who are themselves engaged in a regular and legitinate mode of warfare will be promptly and severely punished; further, that Mr. Samuel Price, of Lewisburg, will be held responsible in his person for any cruel or nusual treatment of Dr. William P. Rucker.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE CROOK, Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

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