NOPE! punitive expeditions are well within the confines of the LoW. tradition says that the "monitoring power" is to be notified AFTER the end of the war as to the disposition (this likely means the location of the criminals remains)made of any criminals killed during such operations.
in the 19th century the "monitoring power" was the Papal States OR any neutral power;today the "monitoring power" is the Swiss Republic and/or the UN.
for dixie,sw
So all you need to do to justify killing innocent civilians is call it a 'punitive expedition'? Well then heck if that's all it takes then why are you complaining about Sherman's punitive expeditions through Georgia or South Carolina? Or Sheridan's punitive expedition through the Shenandoah Valley? Their actions were not the deliberate murder that Quantrill and Anderson and their mob practiced.