because the men and women are terror-stricken? Whenever was
it heard before that a victorious general, in an
unsurrendered province, stopped in his course for the
purpose of preventing the rebellious inhabitants of that
province from destroying each other, or refuse to take
command of a conquered province lest he should be made
responsible for their self-destruction?

"As a military question, perhaps, the more terror-stricken
the inhabitants are that are left in your rear, the more
safe will be your lines of communication. You say there have
appeared before your eyes the very facts, in terror-stricken
women and children and men, which you had before
contemplated in theory. Grant it. But is not the remedy to
be found in the surrender of the neighbors, fathers,
brothers, and sons of the terror-stricken women and
children, who are now in arms against the government within
twenty miles of you? And when that is done, and you have no
longer to fear from these organized forces, and they have
returned peaceably to their homes, you will be able to use
the full power of your troops to insure your safety from the
so much feared (by them, not by you) servile insurrection.

[Illustration: POINT ISABEL, TEXAS. Phalanx soldiers on duty, throwing
up earthworks.]

"If you desire, you can send a flag of truce to the
commander of these forces, embracing these views, and
placing upon him the responsibility which belongs to him.
Even that course will not remove it from you, for upon you
it has never rested. Say to them, that if all armed
opposition to the authority of the United States shall cease
in Louisiana, on the west bank of the river, you are
authorized by the commanding general to say, that the same
protection against negro or other violence will be afforded
that part of Louisiana that has been in the part already in
the possession of the United States. If that is refused,
whatever may ensue is upon them, and not upon you or upon
the United States. You will have done all that is required
of a brave, humane man, to avert from these deluded people
the horrible consequences of their insane war upon the
government. * * * *

"Consider this case. General Bragg is at liberty to ravage
the houses of our brethren of Kentucky because the Union