[orders and circulars Loren would, or should, have seen concurrent with his diary entries...]
General Order No 36, Head Quarters US Forces, Paducah, Ky, Nov 27th, 1861
On the afternoon of the 25th inst a grave breach of discipline was committed, chiefly if not altogether, by the officers and men of the 11th Indiana Regiment in raising of our flag over the house of a resident of this city, not, certainly by the act of raising of our flag, but by the manner of proceeding.
The commanding General desires to address those engaged in the proceeding in a kindly spirit. He is aware they have subjected themselves to prosecution under the articles of war, He is compelled to denounce the transaction as a grave violation of good order and Military discipline, but he is inclined to the belief that those engaged in it will, upon reflection, come to regard it in that light themselves. Had it been possible for him to have anticipated its occurrence it would have been his duty, by all means at his command, and at every hazard, to have prevented it. The affair is more mortifying to him, from the fact that in a long military life, it is the first proceeding of a mutinous character that ever happened with troops under his immediate command, that if his his feelings were wounded by the transaction, as he admits they were, he is confident, sensible and intelligent and generous (in?) such as he believes composes the command he more especially addressees, will mark due allowance for the pride and sensibilities, of an officer who has given nearly thirty-seven years of life to the service of his country in the Army.
Though the occurrence may subject him to criticism by those placed over him in authority he is disposed to let it drop without investigation, less however, for his own sake than that of the persons engaged in it. So disposed on his side, he trusts they will listen patiently to his remonstrations against like occurrences in the future.
In this spirit, he appeals, then, to the intelligence of officers and soldiers. Although Kentucky is full of Traitors, he Legislature left her one of the States of the Union and our forces on her soil are charged with the high mission of protecting her people and Sovereignty. More plainly, he desires every soldier without regard to his position, to know that he is sent here by the Government as the protector of a loyal state, which though occupied by rebel armies is not a Rebel country, and that success requires him, by the patient exercise of moderation, obedience and charity to earn that character from both friends and foes. We charge the Rebels with oppressions : is it policy to subject ourselves, our flag, or our course to like charges? Our boast is that we are fighting for a Government that never harmed a citizen. Whose thanks we will earn if we are the first to rob ourselves of that boast?
The General has derived great satisfaction from the soldierly deportment of those he most particularly addresses;and it is hardly enough to say that it grieved him to see them manifest the slightest spirit of disorder. All his hopes for the triumph of our flag and its re-erection in all the rebellious states, are based upon the discipline of the army; and he feels every blow to that discipline is a blow at the common cause.
Upon the restoration of peace, each soldier will go back to the civil pursuits from which he came. How important that he should do so without reproach or shame. Property, Liberty, Government - everything precious - has been committed to the Army : when the Army supplants the commander, or turns from the path of order, or busts the bands of discipline it makes a thing or terror and sin
Enthusiasm for the flag is a spirit to be encouraged; the General would do everything in his power to raise it to the highest pitch yet he calmly asks each soldier to watch its fiery impulses, l3est, whilst fitting him for boldness in battle, they do not plunge him into excess.
In conclusion, the General asks the soldiers of his command by their conduct in future, their gentleness to friends, and their moderation towards unarmed enemies, living under the shadows of our flag, to give him reason to believe they admit the necessity of order am are willing to enforce it. If they will only exercise their intelligence, and not forget the observance of law which so becomes them as citizens will more than become them a soldiers, no complaint will ever be heard against them from any source.
By order of Brig Genl C. F. Smith
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