One hundred fifty years ago, on June 19, 1864, Confederate leaders set the rules for northeast Arkansas: HDQRS. CONFEDERATE FORCES IN NORTH. ARKANSAS, Camp at Bells, June 19, 1864. Lieut. Col. J. B. LOVE, Commanding Regiment: COLONEL: The brigadier-general commanding directs me to say, in answer to your communication of the 14th instant, that all impressments of stock and other property, to be legal, must be made by a commissioned officer with written authority from the commanding officer of the section in which such impressment is made. He holds that you, while in command of your regiment, are the only officer in your section who has the right to grant such authority. In many cases impressments are made by persons having illegitimate or forged papers. When such instances come to your knowledge you will arrest the parties committing the outrage and hold them until such time as they can prove the legitimacy of their authority for the deed. When they fail to prove this you will deal with them as you deem best. The property of all persons who have gone North is subject to confiscation. In all such cases you will confiscate their property and appropriate it to the use of your command. You will be very careful to instruct your officers whom you authorize to make impressments to take no stock that cannot be spared by the farmers in the cultivation of their crops. You will use your best endeavors to put a stop to their illegal seizures of property, and, if it can be done in no other way, you will shoot the perpetrators wherever they may be found. These roving bands of jayhawkers must be broken up, and their members when caught must be summarily dealt with. Captain Cook has related to the general all the facts connected with the capture of the emigrant train, stating that the property captured had been given to his men. He also stated your views on the subject, to wit, that all captured property should be turned over to the quartermaster for the use of the Government, and by him issued to the command. Your view is the correct one, but the general has always allowed his scouts to appropriate to their own use all captured property which was not of special value to the Government. This practice has also received the sanction of General Holmes, inasmuch as it encourages them and makes them more willing and anxious to do their duty. In reference to arming your regiment the general desires me to inform you that he will write to General Adams immediately, and if the arms are there you shall have them. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. J. McARTHUR, Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. HDQRS. CONFEDERATE FORCES IN NORTH. ARKANSAS, Camp at Bells, June 19, 1864. Col. T. H. MCCRAY, Commanding, &c.: COLONEL: General Shelby directs me to say to you that he wishes General Orders, No. 2 (which you will find inclosed), rigidly enforced. He further directs that you cause to report to you all companies, detachments, and squads that have been ordered to do so on or before the 1st day of July. You will call in all your recruiting officers by that time and proceed as rapidly as possible in the organization of your brigade. Those men who have been furloughed to cultivate their crops will have had ample time to finish their work, and they must be called into camp and kept there. You will consolidate detachments and squads into full companies and hold them in camp in readiness for any orders that may be sent you. You will order all the men belonging to Kitchens regiment proper to report to him (Col. S. G. Kitchen), and will recognize him as the commander of that regiment until the matter is definitely settled by orders from district headquarters. Colonel Kitchen will report to you with his command at such time as you may order. Very respectfully, W. J. McARTHUR, Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.
Posted on: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 12:00:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015