Death to White Officers of Negro Troops

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008

Printed Confederate General orders No. 108, 9p. octavo, Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office, Richmond, Virginia, August 4, 1863, publishing a variety of acts “for the information of the army”, including “Joint Resolutions on the subject of Retaliation.” which reads in part “Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, In response to the message of the President...that in the opinion of congress, the commissioned officers of the enemy ought not to be delivered to the authorities of the respective States, as suggested in the said message, but all captives taken by the confederate forces ought to be dealt with and disposed of by the confederate government. SEC. 2. That, in the judgement of congress, the proclamations of the President of the United States, dated respectively September twenty-second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, and January first, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, and the other measures of the government of the United States and of its authorities, commanders and forces, designed or tending to emancipate slaves in the Confederate States, or to abduct slaves, or to incite them to insurrection, or to employ negroes in war against the Confederate States, or to overthrow the institution of African slavery, and bring on a servile war in these States, would, if succesful, produce atrocious consequences, and they are inconsistent with the spirit of those usages which in modern warfare prevail among civilized nations; they may, therefore, be properly and lawfully repressed by retailiation...SEC. 4. That every white person, being a commissioned officer, or acting as such, who, during the present war, shall command negroes or mulattoes in arms against the Confederate States, or who shall arm, train, organize or prepare negroes or mulattoes for military service against the Confederate States, or who shall voluntarily aid negroes or mulattoes in any military enterprise, attack or conflict, in such service, shall be deemed as inciting servile insurrection, and shall, if captured, be put to death, or be otherwise punished at the discretion of the court...SEC. 7. All negroes and mulattoes who shall be engaged in war, or be taken in arms against the Confederate States, or shall igve aid or comfort to the enemies of the Confederate States, shall, when captured in the Confederate States, be delivered to the authorities of the State or States in which they shall be captured, to be dealt with according to the present or future laws of such State or States.” More. Fine.

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