_Brigadier General_.
The severe penalty of death, where a spy is captured, is not because there
is anything dishonorable in the fact of the person being a spy, as only
men of peculiar gifts for such service, men of courage and cool judgment
and undoubted patriotism, are selected. The fact that the information they
obtain is found within their enemy's lines, and the probability of great
danger to an Army, is what causes the penalty to be so very severe. A
soldier caught in the uniform, or a part of the uniform, of his enemy,
within his enemy's lines, establishes the fact that he is a spy and is
there in violation of the Articles of War and for no good purpose. This
alone will prohibit his being treated as a prisoner of war, when caught,
as Davis was, in our uniform, with valuable documents upon him, and seals
his fate.
I appreciate fully that the people of Tennessee and Davis's comrades
understand his soldierly qualities and propose to honor his memory. I take
pleasure in aiding in raising the monument to his memory, although the
services he performed were for the purpose of injuring my command, but
given in faithfully performing the duties he was assigned to. I am
Truly and respectfully,