Head-quarters,
Department of the East, New York City,
December 17,1864.
Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War:
Sir, — I have
just received your
letter of the 15th instant, advising me that the President does not approve
that part of my General
Order No. 97 “which instructs all military commanders on the frontier, in
certain cases therein specified, to cross the boundary between the United
States and Canada, and directs pursuit into neutral territory.” I shall
immediately revoke the portion of the Order thus disapproved.
I beg leave most respectfully to represent that the
revocation of this direction to military commanders on the frontier removes all
hope of capturing marauders who cross the boundary-line for the purpose of
committing depredations on our side. When St. Alban's was attacked, the banks
robbed, and several of the citizens shot — one of them mortally — a telegraphic
despatch was immediately sent to me, and was promptly answered by me; and yet,
so rapid were the movements of the marauders, that before my Order reached the
pursuers the guilty parties had been arrested and delivered up, with the stolen
property, amounting to several hundred thousand dollars, to the Canadian
authorities. When it is considered that St. Alban's is several miles within the
boundary-line, it will be perceived that the pursuit of marauders will be
wholly unavailing from points directly on the frontier, if authority to pursue
is to be waited for.
When I issued Order No. 97 I had satisfactory information
from Toronto that a predatory expedition had been organized against Ogdensburg,
separated from Canada by the River St. Lawrence, less than a mile in width. If
the local commander, in case of an attack on the place, is required to
telegraph for orders to me, it is quite manifest that the marauders will be
beyond his reach before he will receive my answer.
There are strong manifestations of a purpose on the part of
our citizens on the frontier to take the pursuit and capture of marauders into
their own hands; and a desire to prevent these unauthorized acts of individuals
was one of my motives in giving the authority in question to the local commanders.
I do not state these considerations with the expectation of
inducing the President to review his decision, which has, no doubt, been well
considered, but that he may understand my reasons for giving a direction which
has incurred his disapproval.
I have the honor to
be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
John A. Dix, Major-general.
SOURCE: Morgan Dix, Memoirs of John Adams Dix,
Volume 2, p. 114
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