HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY BRIGADE, December 16, 1862.

Respectfully forwarded.

I would call the attention of the general commanding to this apparent violation of the usages of war.

EDWARD M. McCOOK,
Colonel, Commanding.

No. 5. Correspondence between Major-General Rosecrans, U. S. Army, and General Bragg, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,

Nashville, December 15, 1862.

General BRAXTON BRAGG:

You will see by the copies of reports to me, herewith inclosed,* that another outrage of the grossest character has been perpetrated by your troops, in the presence of your own flag, commanded by a lieutenant-colonel in your service, who but yesterday was courteously received. I cannot believe you had authorized, or will permit to go unpunished or without prompt reparation, such barbarous conduct, hardly paralleled by savages. You cannot restore life to my men who have been inhumanly murdered, but I shall leave to your own head and heart to devise such reparation as is demanded by your own honor and the honor of our common humanity.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,
Murfreesborough, Tenn., December 23, 1862.

Major-General W. S. ROSECRANS,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Nashville, Tenn.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 15th instant, in which you complain of the capture of your pickets, near Nashville, pending a flag of truce, and demand their restoration to your lines.

I have delayed my reply until a full and thorough investigation could be reported. As its result, I respectfully, but firmly, decline to accede to your demand.

The flag was sent from my lines for a specific purpose, and was reasonably expected back within a few hours. The movements of my force in front were directed accordingly, and there was no intention to avail themselves of the existence of the flag to cover an attack. The delay of the flag was caused by the reprehensible and criminal conduct of some of your subordinates, who placed its bearer under arrest, and kept him twenty-four hours before permitting him to return. Upon being finally permitted to leave, he was again arrested, menaced, and insulted by soldiers with drawn weapons at the command of an officer who placed him under strict arrest, notwithstanding the accompanying presence of his flag. The officers most active in perpetrating this outrage gave

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*Not found.

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