Cunningham. This party returned along the main road, and when near White's, about three-fourths of a mile south of the State line and distant from Memphis about thirteen miles, the party was fired on from ambush and Lieutenant Cunningham and a Confederate prisoner were killed. They party was scattered, and as son as intelligence reached the camp of the Sixth Illinois Cavalry Captain Boicourt took a small party of twenty-five men and hastened to the spot. Before reaching White's they met a wagon coming into Memphis with the body of Lieutenant Cunningham, and learned the names of five men of the country who were engaged in the attack on this party.

I subsequently sent Major Stacy, of the Sixth Illinois Cavalry, with 100 men to punish the actors. They met Captain Boicourt near White's and all the mention be made of the killing of White is that "one man was killed while running from the advance guard. " Subsequently the mother and wife of Mr. White came to see me, and reported that hearing the firing near their house they went to the road and assisted in burying the dead Confederate, and saw the body of Lieutenant Cunningham taken up by a passing wagon and carried toward Memphis; that soon after Captain Boicourt and party of cavalry came to the house, arrested Mr. White--represented as twenty-three years old, delicate in health and never a guerrilla, but on the contrary peacefully disposed and of Union sentiments; but Captain Boicourt represented that he was concerned in the killing of Cunningham, mutilating his person and stripping it of money and clothing, the sight of which exasperated the men. When White was taken in custody he was taken out through the yard and when near the gate resisted, and finally attempted to escape, when he was killed, partly with blows and shots. The house of White was burned down.

Of course I cannot approve the killing of any citizen on mere suspicion, but the firing from ambush near White's house and the fact that Lieutenant Cunningham was mutilated and stripped of money and clothing were circumstances calculated to inflame the minds of soldiers. The neighborhood, too, was and is infamous, so that I charge the whole on the system of guerrilla warfare adopted, approved and encouraged by the Confederate authorities. Whatever claims the family and friends of White may have on the magnanimity of our Government I would recognize, but would make no concessions to the authorities of that Government which has turned loose bands of men without uniforms--without any marks of a soldier's calling--to do their will. The killing of White was the natural consequence of the shooting of Lieutenant Cunningham, of which General Pemberton makes no mention. White was a citizen, not a Confederate soldier or a partisan. On what rule General Pemberton or his associates propose to retaliate on the persons of four of our soldiers I do not understand. Of course it is not for me to say what we should be should these four men suffer death; but we should demand their exchange promptly under the cartel, and if not acceded to and they carry out their threats, we should make them feel our power and vengeance. Shall I not withhold all their prisoners for exchange until this threat is withdrawn? Strange that these partisans hang, kill and shoot on any and all occasions and yet we are threatened with retaliation for such a case as White's. I await your instructions.

Yours,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.