lating his person and stripping it of money and clothing, the sight of which exasperated the men. When White was taken in custody, he was taken out through we yard, and, when near the gate, resisted, and finally attempted to escape, when he was killed, partly with blows and shots. The house of White was burned down.

Of course, I cannot approve the killing of any citizen on mere suspicion, but the firing from ambush near. White's house, and the fact that Lieutenant Cunningham was mutilated and stripped of money and clothing, were circumstances calculated to inflame the minds of soldiers. The neighborhood, too, was, and is, infamous, so that I charge the whole on the system of guerrilla warfare adopted, approved, and encouraged by the Confederate authorities. Whatever claims the family and friends of White may have on the magnanimity of our Government I would recognize, but would make no concessions to the authoties of that Government which has turned los bands of men without uniforms-without any marks of a soldier's calling-to do their will.

The killing of White was the natural consequence of the shooting of Lieutenant Cunningham, of which General Pemberton makes no mention. White was a citizen-not a Confederate soldier or a partisan. On what rule General Pemberton or his associates propose to retaliate on the persons of four of our soldiers, I do not understand. Of course, if is not for me to say what we should do should these four men suffer death, but we should mand their exchange promptly, under the cartel, and, if not accorded to, and they carry out their threats, we should make them feel our power and vengeance. Shall I not withhold all their prisoners for exchange until this threat is withdrawn? Strange that these partisans hang, kill, and and shoot on any and all occasions, and yet we are threatened with retaliation for such a case as White's. I await your instructions.

Yours,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF MISSISSIPPI,
Jackson, Miss., November 12, 1862.

The General Officer Commanding United States Forces, Memphis, Tenn.:

SIR: I am credibly informed that on or about the 11th day of September, 1862, Mr. William H. White, a citizen of De Soto County, Mississippi, was inhumanly murdered in the presence of his mother and his wife near his residence on the Hernando and Memphis plank road, about 13 miles from Memphis; I am also informed that his murder was perpetrated by a party of Illinois cavalry (said to be the Sith), in the service of the United States Government, and under the immediate command of one Captain Boicourt. It is further stated that Boicourt himself inflicted the first wound upon the murdered man.

In view of the reported facts, I have the honor to inform you that, by direction of my Government, I have taken by lot from the United States prisoners of war captured by our forces the four whose names follow: James E. Gaddy, Company E, Sixth Illinois Cavalry; Bernard Collins, Company E, Thirty-ninth Ohio Infantry; A. W. Shipman, Company E, Forty-third Ohio Infantry, and Michael Hart, Company C, Seventh Iowa Infantry.

I am also directed to inform you that if the account of the murder be