3 February 1862: “and in all cases the rules of civilized warfare will be carefully observed.”

Item description: General orders from General Ambrose E. Burnside to his troops concerning their behavior during their mission, written prior to the expedition’s land operation.

Original item: The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies.  Prepared under the direction of the Secretary of War, by Bvt. Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott, Third U. S. Artillery, and published pursuant to act of Congress approved June 16, 1880.  Series I, volume IX.

Link to electronic version: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.49015002000082;view=image;q1=civilized%20warfare;start=1;size=100;page=root;seq=371;num=359

Transcription:

Headquarters Department of North Carolina,

Pamlico Sound, Feb 3, 1862.

General Orders, No. 5.

This expedition, being about to land on the soil of North Carolina, the general commanding desires his soldiers to remember that they are here to support the Constitution and the laws, to put down rebellion, and to protect the persons and property of the loyal and peaceable citizens of the State.  In the march of the army, all necessary injuries to houses, barns, fences, and other property will be carefully avoided, and in all cases the rules of civilized warfare will be carefully observed.

Wounded soldiers will be treated with every care and attention, and neither they nor prisoners must be insulted or annoyed by word or act.

With the fullest confidence in the valor and the character of his troops, the general commanding looks forward to a speedy and successful termination of the campaign.

By command of Brig.-Gen. A. E. BURNSIDE.

Lewis Richmond, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Citation: The War of the Rebellion : a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, prepared under the direction of the Secretary of War by Robert N. Scott.  Hathi Trust Digital Library.

Note: Reprint editions [1977 (http://search.lib.unc.edu/search?R=UNCb4678450) and 1985 (http://search.lib.unc.edu/search?R=UNCb2067902)] held by Davis Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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