Capital punishment is as fundamentally wrong as a cure for crime as charity is wrong as a cure for poverty.

No punishment, in my opinion, is too great, for the man who can build his greatness upon his country's ruin.

Should any American soldier be so base and infamous as to injure any [prisoner] ... I do most earnestly enjoin you to bring him to such severe and exemplary punishment as the enormity of the crime may require. Should it extend to death itself, it will not be disproportional to its guilt at such a time and in such a cause... for by such conduct they bring shame, disgrace and ruin to themselves and their country.

Three things prompt men to a regular discharge of their duty in time of action: natural bravery, hope of reward, and fear of punishment.

A man of my spiritual intensity does not eat corpses.

There are no perfectly honorable men; but every true man has one main point of honor and a few minor ones.