New York, May 20, 1863.
My Dear General,
— I have the copy of General Orders 100 which you sent me. The generals of the
board have added some valuable parts; but there have also been a few things
omitted, which I regret. As the order now stands, I think that No. 100 will do
honor to our country. It will be adopted as a basis for similar works by the
English, French, and Gcrmans. It is a contribution by the United States
to the stock of common civilization. I feel almost sad in closing this
business. Let me hope it will not put a stop to our correspondenee. 1 regret
that your name is not visibly connected with this Code, You do not
regret it, because you are void of ambition, — to a faulty degree, as it seems
to me. . . . I believe it is now time
for you to issue a strong order, directing attention to those paragraphs
in the Code which prohibit devastation, demolition of private property, &c.
I know by letters from the West and the South, written by men on our side, that
the wanton destruction of property by our men is alarming. It does incalculable
injury. It demoralizes our troops; it annihilates wealth irrecoverably, and
makes a return to a state of peace more and more difficult. Your order, though
impressive and even sharp, might be written with reference to the Code, and
pointing out the disastrous consequences of reckless devastation, in such a
manner as not to furnish our reckless enemy with new arguments for his
savagery. . . .
SOURCE: Thomas Sergeant Perry, Editor, The Life and
Letters of Francis Lieber, p. 333-4
