Page images
PDF
EPUB

send duplicate rolls with them. You will discharge all prisoners of the Confederate Army who take the oath of allegiance. No transportation is allowed them. All prisoners of war not belonging to the Confederate Army at Camp Chase will be sent to the Sandusky depot. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

Adjutant-General THOMAS:

FORT MONROE, September 22, 1862.

I have just returned from Aiken's Landing and have lists of exchanges effected of about 10,000 men and 300 officers. Shall I take them to you at Washington? Pope's officers were not delivered, but are promised this week.

W. H. LUDLOW,
Lieutenant-Colonel.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, September 23, 1862.

Maj. Gen. LEW. WALLACE, Columbus, Ohio:

Your letter to the Adjutant-General was received this morning. Efforts have been made to obtain funds to pay the paroled troops. A special paymaster will leave here to-morrow with money to pay them. We have no tents. You must cause temporary sheds to be erected, which can quickly be done. Arms will be supplied as soon as your force is organized. You will issue clothing which you say is on hand and take whatever measures are proper to provide for the comfort and health of your troops. If anything is needed from this Department inform me. The Adjutant-General was recently at Camp Chase but made no report of anything being lacking for the accommodation of the prisoners sent there. The delay in payment has been unavoidable. You will please report whatever in your judgment the service requires to bring your men into proper organization and discipline if there be anything not mentioned in the letter received this morning. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Lieut. Col. MARTIN BURKE,

Washington, September 23, 1862.

Commanding Fort Lafayette, N. Y.

SIR: The Secretary of War directs that Judge Carmichael, of Maryland, now confined at Fort Lafayette, be transferred to Fort Delaware. I am, sir, &c.,

Mr. PRESIDENT:

E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.

QUINCY, ILL., September 23, 1862.

Permit me for a moment to call your attention to the case of General Prentiss. When I left Washington I was assured that his exchange

would soon be effected. Since my return home we have been unable to get any information concerning him. Neither his family nor friends. I have heard from him and the brave young men who are his companions in confinement. There may be sufficient reason for this, but we do not here understand why they should be suffered to languish in prison whilst all others are released. Can nothing be done for their release? As ever, truly, your friend,

O. H. BROWNING.

HEADQUARTERS NORTHEAST MISSOURI DIVISION,
Macon City, Mo., September 23, 1862.

Maj. A. F. DENNY, Huntsville, Mo.

MAJOR: Captain Burkhardt has been directed to take back to Huntsville the following prisoners: Charles King, Charles Tillotson and D. S. Washburn. With regard to these men you will observe the order herewith inclosed which will be your warrant for the execution, and I hope that this example will have such a satisfactory effect that no further execution in your vicinity may be necessary. I wish the execution of these men to be done with due form and ceremony, and thinking you may not be aware of the proper form give the following description of how it is to be done:

At the hour fixed for the execution your whole command will be paraded and marched to the execution ground together with the condemned and the firing party; the firing party will be selected by lot from your men, six men for each prisoner. The march to the execution ground is in the following order: First, a company of your command; second, the prisoners, with the firing party in the rear of them; third, the rest of your command. Having reached the ground the command will be formed on three sides of a square, facing inward. On the open side the prisoners and firing party will be disposed as in the diagram.* Before going to the ground the muskets of the firing party will be loaded-not in the presence of the men who are to use them-and of each six one of them will be loaded with a blank cartridge, the others with ball. This is done in order that no individual of firing party may know to a certainty that his piece contained a ball. The prisoners are then blindfolded and made to kneel before the firing parties, and the commanding officer gives the order, "Ready! aim! fire!" Six men must be detailed as a reserve whose duty it will be to finish the execution of any one of the prisoners who may not be killed by the first discharge.

Instruct your firing party that they are simply discharging their duty, and however disagreeable it may be it is a duty, and they will show mercy to the prisoners by aiming true at the heart that the first fire may kill them. I hope, major, that this solemn execution of a sentence and vindication of violated law may be properly conducted, and that both yourself and your men will do their duty faithfully however unpleasant it may be.

After the execution the whole command is marched by the dead bodies and they are then taken up and decently interred.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LEWIS MERRILL, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

*Not found.

[Inclosure.]

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. NORTHEAST MISSOURI DIVISION,
No. 35.

**

Macon City, Mo., September 23, 1862.

II. Charles King, Charles Tillotson and D. S. Washburn having once been in arms in rebellion against their lawful Government, and having been pardoned for that offense and taken a solemn oath not again to take up arms against the United States were afterwards found in arms as members of a guerrilla band and taken prisoners, and in accordance with the laws of war will be shot at or near Huntsville, Mo., on Friday, the 26th instant, between the hours of 10 a. m. and 3 p. m., having incurred the just penalty of a violated parole and willful and intentional perjury. This sentence will be duly carried into execution by the commanding officer of the troops at Huntsville, for which this shall be his warrant.

III. The following-named prisoners, now in confinement at Macon City, having once been pardoned for the crime of taking up arms against their Government and having taken a solemn oath not again to take up arms against the United States, have been taken in arms in violation of said oath and their solemn parole, and are therefore ordered to be shot to death on Friday, the 26th of September, between the hours of 10 a. m. and 3 p. m. The commander of the post at Macon City is charged with the execution of this order, and for their execution this shall be his warrant. Names of prisoners to be executed: Frank E. Drake, Dr. A. C. Rowe, Elbert Hamilton, William H. Earhart, William Searcy, J. A. Wysong, G. H. Fox, Edward Riggs, David Bell, John H. Oldham, James H. Hall.

By order of Brigadier-General Merrill:

GEO. M. HOUSTON, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

DETROIT, September 23, 1862.

General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General:

Four hundred and fifty-seven exchanged prisoners have arrived at Cairo from Vicksburg. What shall be done with them?

W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, September 24, 1862.

Adjutant-General THOMAS, Annapolis:

You will make arrangements to send on the paroled prisoners to' General Pope, Saint Paul, Minn., immediately including those at Annapolis and at Harper's Ferry. It is important to have them replaced by troops from the West and also to relieve the troops that are guarding them now at Monocacy and Harper's Ferry. Ascertain and report the number of arms required.

EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, September 24, 1862.

Brig. Gen. DAN. TYLER, Annapolis:

The Secretary of War directs that only the troops surrendered at Harper's Ferry shall be taken to Chicago. The other prisoners of war,

officers and men, not yet exchanged, will remain in camp at Annapolis. Please instruct Colonel Staunton accordingly.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, September 24, 1862.

Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Detroit:

The prisoners at Fort Delaware have just been ordered to Fort Monroe for exchange. The Secretary wishes the others at the East sent also. You have no duties under the cartel. Special agents conduct the exchange. Copy will be sent you. Order the exchanged prisoners from Vicksburg to join their regiments. Major Doster sent his rolls to this office. Are prisoners named in your memorandum Federals or rebels? Lieut. Col. A. Y. Johnson, Twenty-eighth Kentucky; Maj. F. W. Helveti, Maj. W. A. Coffey, First Kentucky Cavalry.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, September 24, 1862.

Maj. H. S. BURTON, Commanding Fort Delaware:

The Secretary of War directs that you send all the prisoners of war from rebel army to Fort Monroe to be exchanged. Put them on parole first. Release on taking oath of allegiance those who wish. Send separate rolls of officers and of men, one copy with prisoners, another here.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Washington, September 24, 1862.

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

SIR: Your communication of the 12th instant has been received and in answer to your inquiries for instructions I have respectfully to inform you that you will examine and report upon each case claiming the right of exchange, accompanying the same with your own recommendation in the matter.

I am, &c.,

E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS, Camp Douglas, September 24, 1862.

Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

COLONEL: In accordance with directions in yours of 20th instant I herewith forward monthly return* of prisoners of war for August. A list of the prisoners of war received from Fort Leavenworth was forwarded to you on the 25th of August, and the list of 444 discharged on taking oath of allegiance (administered by Governor Campbell) are

* Omitted.

included in the lists given to Captain Freedley to-day. Four hundred and seventy-four took the oath on the 29th and 30th of August, but some had not left camp on the 31st of August, when this return was made up. Thelists now forwarded account for the other alterations since last month. Yours of 22d instant giving directions in regard to sending prisoners now sick in camp to Cairo for exchange in suitable parties is received to day. I forward list of prisoners of war received yesterday from Corinth sent by General Ord and await your instructions regarding them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH H. TUCKER,

Colonel Sixty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, Commanding Post.

VARINA, AIKEN'S LANDING, September 24, 1862.

Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, Commissioner for Exchange.

SIR: Having received assurances from the United States Government that the orders of General Pope to which exception has been taken are no longer in force I send to Lieutenant-Colonel Ludlow all of the officers of General Pope's command who have been taken prisoners. I trust you will perceive by this action of the Confederate Government in respect to these officers that there has been at no time any disposition on its part to be severe upon them personally. The course which the Confederate Government has pursued was the result of a firm conviction on its part that it was bound by the highest obligations of duty to its own citizens to adopt such just measures of retribution and retaliation as seemed adequate to meet the injustice of which it complained. It always has been and is now the earnest desire of the Confederate authorities that the war shall be conducted in every respect in accordance with the usages of civilized warfare, and therefore, since it has been announced by the competent military authorities of the United States that the orders to which exception has been taken are not in force, the officers who have been detained are freely released on the usual parole until exchanged. I have also sent the persons who were captured on the battle-field near Fairfax Court-House.

After this action on the part of the Confederate Government I beg leave again to call your attention to the case of Colonel Thomas [Zarvona], who is represented to us to be confined in one of your military prisons and compelled to suffer unusual hardships and cruel privations. Many of the so-called nurses whom I this day send off were taken under circumstances which might well warrant the Confederate authorities in believing them to be spies or robbers. In spite of that they have been released. I hope therefore I may reasonably expect that Colonel Thomas will be delivered to us as speedily as it can be done.

Your obedient servant,

ROBT. OULD, Agent for Exchange.

VARINA, AIKEN'S LANDING, September 24, 1862.

Lieut. Col. WILLIAM H. LUDLOW, Acting Agent of Exchange.

SIR: Having received assurances from the United States Government that the orders of General Pope to which exception has been

* Omitted.

« PreviousContinue »