on unarmed men, on women or on children. But stern and exemplary punishment can and must be meted out to the murderers and felons who disgracing the profession of arms seek to make of public war the occasion for the commission of the most monstrous crimes. Deeply as we may regret the character of the contest into which we are about to be forced we must accept it as an alternative which recent manifestations give us little hope can be avoided. The exasperation of failure has aroused the worst passions of our enemies. A large portion of their people, even of their clergymen, now engage in urging an excited populace to the extreme of ferocity and nothing remains but to vindicate our right and to maintain our existence by employing against our foe every energy and every resource at our disposal. I append for your information a copy of the papers* exhibiting the action of the Government up to the present time for the repression of the outrages committed on our people. Other measures now in progress will be submitted hereafter.

* * * * *

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

RICHMOND, August 18, 1862.

General VAN DORN, Vicksburg:

Fifteen thousand prisoners are expected to be delivered by the United States Government to our agent at Vicksburg. The Secretary of War desires you will order them to their regiments and corps for the field as speedily as possible. Meantime cause the desired care to be taken in provisioning them by the commissariat of your army.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Richmond, August 19, 1862.

Honorable G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War.

SIR: I inclose for your consideration a letter from William Skeen, esq., attorney for the Commonwealth for Alleghany County, in regard to Rucker, recently captured by Major Bailey at Nicholas Court-House, and respectfully request that Major-General Loring be instructed to deliver Rucker to the sheriff of Alleghany, that he may be indicted and tried for violations of the laws of this State.

I am, truly,

JOHN LETCHER.

[First indorsement.]

Respectfully submitted to the President for instructions. General Loring has informed me that Mr. Price, a leading citizen of Greenbrier County, has been seized and is held as a hostage for Doctor Rucker.

G. W. R.

[Second indorsement.]

The allegation of hostility to the Government of Virginia and Confederate States is sustained by the arrest, but it would not serve a good purpose to indict for treason those citizens who may have chosen to adhere to the enemy.

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*Not found.

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