O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XV [S# 21]
Union Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In West Florida, Southern Alabama, Southern Mississippi, And Louisiana From May 12, 1862, To May 14, 1863: And In Texas, New Mexico, And Arizona From September 20, 1862, To May 14, 1863.--#6
HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD,
Near Baton Rouge, August 14, 1862.
COMMANDING OFFICER FORCES AT BATON ROUGE:
SIR: The object of this communication is to call your attention to acts of outrage recently committed in this part of' the Confederate States under the orders of officers of the United States Army and to other acts which I am informed are in contemplation under the same orders. Many private houses have been wantonly burned; much private property has been taken or destroyed without compensation; many unarmed citizens have been seized and carried into imprisonment upon false and frivolous pretexts, and information has reached these headquarters that negro slaves are being organized and armed to be employed against us. It is also stated that the mayor of Bayou Sara has been ordered (in case he cannot procure negroes) to impress all able-bodied white persons for the purpose of loading coal upon the boats of the United States fleet.
It has been the earnest desire of the Confederate authorities to conduct this war according to the usages of civilized nations, and they will adhere to them so long as they are respected by the United States.
I am authorized by Major-General Van Dorn, commanding this department, to inform you that the above acts are regarded as in violation of the usage of civilized warfare, and that in future, upon any departure from these usages, he will raise the black flag, and neither give nor ask quarter.
I have the honor to request an answer to this communication, informing me of your future purposes touching the acts herein complained of.
I am, very respectfully your obedient servant
JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE,
Major-General, Commanding, C. S. A.
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O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XV [S# 21]
Union Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In West Florida, Southern Alabama, Southern Mississippi, And Louisiana From May 12, 1862, To May 14, 1863: And In Texas, New Mexico, And Arizona From September 20, 1862, To May 14, 1863.--#6
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES FORCES,
Baton Rouge, August 14, 1862.
Maj. Gen. JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE, C. S. A.:
GENERAL: In reply to your communication of this date I have the honor to make the following statement:
None of the acts therein referred to have been committed to my knowledge in this part of the United States under the orders of our officers. No private houses have been wantonly burned. Since your attack of the 5th instant disclosed your purpose to drive this army from the public property of the United States I have determined to adopt such measures as will enable me, in strict accordance with the laws of civilized warfare, to maintain my present position. The accomplishment of this purpose compels me reluctantly to burn a small number of houses, including those of the United States Government and of private persons. While it is not impossible that through mistake injustice has been done in individual cases, and although the vigilance of officers may not always suffice to prevent wrong on the part of subordinates, yet I believe that no unarmed citizen has been seized or carried into imprisonment upon false or frivolous pretexts. No negro slaves have been armed against you in this department.
I have no information respecting the order alleged to have been issued to the mayor of Bayou Sara.
In future I shall permit no wanton destruction of private property. I shall permit no unarmed citizens to be seized upon false or frivolous pretexts. I shall not arm negroes unless in accordance with the laws of the United States. But I am informed that a corps of blacks fought against us in the recent battle of Baton Rouge, and that our pickets were found tied to trees shot through the head, and I am sorry to remind you that a most barbarous system of guerrilla warfare is authorized by your officers and practiced by your troops in this department. While we saved your drowning men at Memphis, you shot ours at White River.
I am informed, too, that you have occasionally raised the black flag at the commencement of an action. Nevertheless I shall never raise that flag which all civilized nations abhor; but I shall try to maintain the flag which you have too often promised to defend.
Your obedient servant,
HALBERT E. PAINE,
Colonel, Commanding United States Forces.
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O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXII/2 [S# 33]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, The Indian Territory, And Department Of The Northwest, From January 1 To December 31, 1863.
UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#5
CAMP MORGAN, JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI,
February 7, 1863.
Major-General CURTIS, U.S. Army:
SIR: The troops of your command in this section of the country are committing outrages known only to barbarians, such as the killing of innocent and defenseless men, burning houses, and banishing men, women, and children, for no other cause than being opposed to the negro-thieving policy of the Administration, and they say that it is agreeably to your orders. Now, sir, I want to know if such is the case. And if, like the other Federals, you undertake to justify such conduct, under the pretext that your troops have been bushwhacked, I will let you know that there is not a bushwhacker in this county, nor has there been since Quantrill entered the Confederate States army, though I believe it is true that there are 100, more or less, Confederate soldiers in Jackson County that are often, to use Federal phraseology, "compelled" to ambuscade your troops to save their lives, as there is no disposition to show them any quarter. Further, I would ask of you to inform me whether it is tolerated by you or not, this taking of Confederate soldiers and throwing them into prison, and, when they get sick, give them poison instead of medicine. This was done at Warrensburg. Another was taken and shot at Lone Jack; this one was a hospital nurse. Now, sir, if this is permitted, I will not only hoist a black flag, as Major Foster did last summer, but I will fight under it, and show no quarter to any claiming protection under the Stars and Stripes. If this is your mode of warfare, you will please inform me, by the publication of such orders in the Republican.
S. COCKERILL,
Colonel, C. S. Army.
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O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXIV/1 [S# 36]
Operations In Mississippi And West Tennessee, Including Those In Arkansas And Louisiana. Connected With The Siege Of Vicksburg.--January 20-August 10, 1863.
No. 3.--Report of Mr. Charles A. Dana, special commissioner of the United States War Department.
BEHIND VICKSBURG, June 18, 1863--8 a.m.,
VIA MEMPHIS, June 21--9 a.m.
(Received June 23--9 p.m.)
Trustworthy information received here yesterday from Joe Johnston confirms what I have previously reported. Breckinridge is at Clinton with one small division; N. G. Evans, who now commands J.P. McCown's division, is between here and Big Black; Loring, whose division is 9,000 strong, has advanced with it to Benton, this side the Big Black, but has had to fall back toward that river to find water for his troops; Walker is at Yazoo City, and W. H. Jackson's cavalry, strengthened by some re-enforcements, are between Yazoo City and Mechanicsburg. General Grant is ruminating the idea of an offensive movement suddenly and without impediments from Haynes' Bluff. Will threaten all the enemy's detachments in detail and take them separately, if possible.
Deserters from within the city yesterday vary somewhat in their reports concerning rations, but all agree that pea bread is no longer issued. On Herron's front yesterday the rebels kept up a fire of large artillery, and on McPherson's the fire of an 11-inch mortar was maintained during the day at intervals of thirty minutes. No damage was done by it. The siege works of Sherman and McPherson are slackened in order to give time for McClernand, Lauman, and Herron to bring theirs up. Ord takes command of Lauman's and Herron's divisions this afternoon. Herron has with him eight regiments only.
I send you to-day by special messenger the topographical map of the siege.
Richmond, La., was destroyed by Mower on the 15th, after a skirmish there with the forces who lately attacked us at Milliken's Bend. Mower had his own brigade and Ellet's Marine Brigade, with ten cannon. After a few shots the rebels fled, and Mower burned every building which had sheltered them, bringing the few women and children who had been left in the place back with him to Milliken's Bend. Col. Kilby Smith, of the Fifteenth Army Corps who witnessed the late battle at Milliken's Bend, certified in an official statement that the rebels carried a black flag bearing a death's head and cross-bones.
C. A. DANA.
Hon. E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
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O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXIV/3 [S# 38]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Mississippi And West Tennessee (And Those In Arkansas And Louisiana Connected With The Siege Of Vicksburg) From January 20 To August 10, 1863.
UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#18
NEAR VICKSBURG, June 22, 1863.
Brig. Gen. R. TAYLOR,
Commanding Confederate Forces, Delhi, La.:
GENERAL: Upon the evidence of a white man, a citizen of the South, I learn that a white captain and some negroes, captured at Milliken's Bend, La., in the late skirmish at that place, were hanged soon after at Richmond. He also informs me that a white sergeant, captured by Harrison's cavalry at Perkins' plantation, was hung.
My forces captured some 6 or 8 prisoners in the same skirmish, who have been treated as prisoners of war, notwithstanding they were caught fighting under the "black flag of no quarter."
I feel no inclination to retaliate for the offenses of irresponsible persons, but if it is the policy of any general intrusted with the command of any troops to show "no quarter," or to punish with death prisoners taken in battle, I will accept the issue. It may be you propose a different line of policy toward black troops and officers commanding them, to that practiced toward white troops. If so, I can assure you that these colored troops are regularly mustered into the service of the United States. The Government and all officers serving under the Government are bound to give the same protection to these troops that they do to any other troops.
Col. Kilby Smith, of the United States volunteer service, and Col. John Riggin, assistant aide-de-camp, U.S. Army, go as bearers of this, and will return any reply you may wish to make.
Hoping there may be some mistake in the evidence furnished me, or that the act of hanging had no official sanction, and that the parties guilty of it will be duly punished, I remain, your obedient servant,
U.S. GRANT.
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O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXX/4 [S# 53]
CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY, SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, TENNESSEE, MISSISSIPPI, NORTH ALABAMA, AND NORTH GEORGIA, FROM AUGUST 11, 1863, TO OCTOBER 19, 1863.--UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.(*)--#14
HEADQUARTERS NINETY-SECOND ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS,
Harrison's Landing, Tenn., October 13, 1863--10 a.m.
Col. C. GODDARD,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Dept. of the Cumberland:
COLONEL: I have the honor to report all quiet this a.m. At Penny's Ford the enemy have 1,900--Wood with 1,000, and Pegram with 900. Some of the citizens on the opposite side raised a black flag, which, the refugees on this side say, means that some one has been killed by the rebels, and that there is great danger.
I am, colonel, very obediently,
SMITH D. ATKINS,
Colonel Ninety-second Illinois Volunteers.
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