This is excerpted from O P Temple's EAST TENNESSEE and the CIVIL WAR 1899 reprinted 1995 Overmountain Press, Johnson City,Tennessee.

Still under command of the imposing presence of the six foot four inch General Stoneman they set about “keeping the peace” in the still troubled Tennessee hills. Stoneman’s unambiguous orders; “ …in the performance of this duty you are authorized and instructed to use the most vigorous and severe measures. The persons with whom you have to deal are outlaws so long as they are at liberty and are to be treated as such. When taken prisoner they must be treated as prisoners, and are entitled to trial, which takes time and entails trouble and expense. “Give them to understand that no false mercy will be shown them and that no prisoners will be taken, and that every man found in arms under whatever pretense and acting without authority from Federal officers or the legally constituted authorities of the State of Tennessee, will be treated a public enemy and an outlaw and be killed like a mad dog by anyone who meets him. See that your command does not interfere with in any way, in their persons or their property, with those peaceably disposed, and with those who stay at home and mind their own business”
Oddly enough, in spite of Stoneman’s order some men were taken prisoner. Explained one officer; “When I found these men, most of them had hidden or otherwise disposed of their arms, and others came and gave themselves up. I had not sufficient evidence at the time of their being bushwhackers or guerrillas, until they were identified by local citizens who knew them to be such.” Those found to be such were summarily executed on the testimony of neighbors.