That the exchanges were again interrupted in May last by the operation of an act of the Confederate Congress, which was another gross violation of the cartel and the laws and usages of war, and which consigned to execution and other punishments certain of our captured officers and men. Will you please furnish Mr. Stephens with a copy of my communication to you and protest of 14th of June last on this subject, and also inform him that under that act of Confederate Congress your authorities now retain in close confinement large numbers of our officers, though their release has been demanded and equivalents in your officers tendered, which equivalents have been sent back to Fort Monroe from City Point? Please also inform him that I have again and again invited your authorities to a return to the cartel in exchange of officers, and that such invitation has not been responded to. I cannot but believe that with a statement of these plain facts so well known to you and to me, Mr. Stephens will readily see that your authorities are alone at fault, and that he will in the humane spirit with which he entered on his mission earnestly recommend the ignoring or repeal of the act of your Congress, which is such a clear violation of the cartel, and a fruitful-I may say only-source of the practical difficulties now surrounding the exchange of officers. I have indulged the hope that the magnanimous treatment of your officers captured at Vicksburg, and their release upon parole, would have prompted the immediate release on parole of all our officers held by you. That hope I have not abandoned. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. H. LUDLOW, Lieutenant-Colonel and Agent for Exchange of Prisoners. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners: COLONEL: I herewith inclose to you a receipt. My instructions to Captain Fillebrown, assistant adjutant-general, who came on in charge of prisoners of war from the West, were to distribute the money and valuables to the prisoners themselves, taking their receipt therefor, before delivering them at City Point. I see a statement in the Richmond papers that these packages contained counterfeit Confederate money instead of the real money which was taken from the prisoners at Alton. The matter has not yet been brought officially to my notice, though I suppose it soon will be. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. H. LUDLOW, Lieutenant-Colonel and Agent for Exchange of Prisoners. [Inclosure.] CITY POINT, VA., June 8, 1863. Received of Capt. H. C. Fillebrown, assistant adjutant-general, U. S. Volunteers, forty-nine packages containing money and valuables. J. H. THOMPSON, Captain, Commanding at City Point. CLEVELAND, OHIO, July 15, 1863. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: Vallandigham arrived at the Clifton House to-day. He issued an address to Democracy of Ohio. Attempt was made to telegraph it to Chicago Times, but I thought proper to refuse it. The address commences as follows: Arrested and confined for three weeks in United States as a prisoner of state; banished thence to the Confederate States, and thence held as an alien enemy and prisoner of war on parole, fairly and honorably dealt with and given leave to depart an act possible only by running the blockade-I found myself first a free man when on British soil, and to-day under protection of the British flag. I am here to enjoy, and in heart to exercise, the privileges and rights which usurpers insolently deny me at home. The shallow contrivance of the weak despots at Washington and their advisers have been defeated. Nay, it has been turned against them, and I, who for two years was maligned as in secret league with the Confederates, having refused when in their midst, under circumstances the most favorable, either to identify myself with their cause, or even so much as to remain, preferring rather exile in a foreign land, &c. A. STAGER. [JULY 15, 1863.-For Davis to Johnston, stating purpose to "insist on immediate discharge" of Vicksburg paroled prisoners and their return to duty, see Series I, Vol. XXIV, Part I, p. 202.] OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Col. J. C. KELTON, Washington, D. C., July 16, 1863. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Hdqrs. of the Army, Washington: COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, pursuant to the instructions of the General-in-Chief, I have selected by lot one of the captains held as prisoners of war in the Old Capitol Prison to be placed in close confinement. The lot fell upon Capt. R. H. Tyler, Eighth Virginia Infantry, and I have communicated to General Martindale the general's orders to place him in close confinement. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Brig. Gen. O. B. WILLCOX, Washington, D. C., July 16, 1863. Commanding, Indianapolis, Ind.: GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose an extract* from a report by a medical inspector on the condition of the hospital at Camp Morton, and I respectfully request you will give such orders as will insure a better condition of the hospital and camp, so far as any improvement is practicable. When Camp Morton was first occupied by prisoners of war an extension to the city hospital was constructed for their benefit capable of receiving 300 patients, and as nothing is said about it in this report I am led to believe that it has been appropriated to other Will you please inform me on this point; and unless there is uses. *Not found. some sufficient obstacle in the way, have the building used for the purpose for which it was erected. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Maj. T. HENDRICKSON, Washington, D. C., July 16, 1863. Commanding Military Prison, Alton, Ill.: MAJOR: Your two letters of the 11th instant have been received. The citizen prisoners captured in Tensas Parish, La., referred to in one of these letters, will be placed on the lists for exchange, and the purchase of clothing for the destitute female prisoners mentioned in the other letter will be paid for out of the prison fund. All expenditures for such articles as may be necessary for prisoners and not otherwise provided for will be purchased and paid for out of that fund. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH ALABAMA, Brig. Gen. G. M. DODGE, Commanding District of Corinth: GENERAL: I am instructed by Colonel Roddey to inform you that he is now prepared to exchange for the men of Colonel Forrest's regiment captured by your forces a few days ago. Captain Spencer thought there were about forty. If you are willing to make the exchange please send list of prisoners you have on hand and suggest the time and place of meeting, so that the time is not less than five days from this date. The colonel is very anxious that men of his command be retained by you for exchange, so as to save the traveling so far around, especially those who are feeble and unable to travel. He furthermore is willing to return the favor whenever practicable. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain NANCE: SECESSIONVILLE, July 16, 1863. Thirteen prisoners Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, black. What shall I do with them? They say that there are eight regiments on the lower part of Legare's plantation, six white, two black. The black regiments are Fifty-fourth Massachusetts and Second South Carolina. Montgomery commands on James Island. Gillmore's headquarters are at Campbell's house on Folly Island. He has promised his troops to be in Charleston on Sunday next. There are 15,000 troops in his command, of which two regiments are left at Beaufort, the balance before Charleston. Two of the prisoners are refugee slaves, the balance free. JOHNSON HAGOOD, Brigadier-General, Commanding. [Indorsement.] HDQRS. FIRST MIL. DIST. OF S. C., GA., AND FLA., Respectfully forwarded. The negroes have been ordered sent to the city to-morrow under a strong guard, without their uniform. In the absence and by command of Brigadier-General Ripley: WM. F. NANCE, Assistant Adjutant-General. CHARLESTON, S. C., July 16, 1863. General THOMAS JORDAN, Chief of Staff: GENERAL: It has been suggested by my brother, Mr. D. W. Branch, that the difficulty of holding that portion of Morris Island now in the possession of the enemy (after we shall have retaken it) might be gotten over by establishing a camp there for holding under heavy guard all Yankee prisoners, officers and privates, until it can be strongly fortified. These prisoners to be exposed during our operations. JOHN L. BRANCH. SURGEON-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners: SIR: The Secretary of War has approved of a suggestion made by the Surgeon-General that such of the rebel wounded as are able to travel be sent as soon as practicable to the rebel States, and has directed the Surgeon General to consult with you on the subject. You are respectfully requested to give your views and suggestions on this subject. By order of the Surgeon-General: Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOS. R. SMITH, Surgeon, U. S. Army. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Brig. Gen. W. A. HAMMOND, Surgeon-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: In reply to your letter of this morning in reference to sending wounded rebel prisoners to the rebel States, I have the honor to advise you that at this time, by direction of the Secretary of War, no prisoners of war are being delivered, and when deliveries are made it must be done at the places named in the cartel. I will inform you when the delivering of prisoners is resumed, and from that time it will probably be most convenient for the convalescents to be sent from hospitals from time to time to Fort Delaware, to be forwarded by the first opportunity. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners. CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, WAR DEPARTMENT, Lieut. Col. WILLIAM H. LUDLOW, Agent of Exchange: SIR: In my communication to you of the 13th instant, declaring the exchange of certain officers who had been captured and paroled at Vicksburg, I only did what you yourself have frequently done. On at least one occasion you went further than I presumed to go. You declared your men exchanged when you had no equivalents to offer. You say in your letter of the 14th instant that you decline to unite with me in my declaration, and request me to notify the officers that their exchange cannot be recognized. I call your attention to the fifth article of the cartel, which provides that "each party, upon the discharge of prisoners of the other party, is authorized to discharge an equal number of their own cfficers or men from parole." I have exercised a clear right under the cartel-one that you have exercised over and over again. I have already delivered to you the equivalents of these officers, which equivalents you may declare exchanged. My right to declare these officers exchanged does not depend upon your assent. After I have given you equivalents their exchange is perfected by my declaration, whether you decline to unite with me or not. I shall not, therefore, give the notice which you request. The officers referred to are already rightfully and properly exchanged. The right to declare officers and men exchanged, where equivalents have been delivered, is one that I cannot yield, and I am unwilling to bind myself by an agreement not to exercise that right "until we meet." Respectfully, your obedient servant, RO. OULD, Agent of Exchange. CHARLESTON, S. C., July 17, 1863-6 p. m. S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.: Enemy still actively constructing batteries on Morris Island. Since our reconnaissance of yesterday he has evacuated James Island, concentrating his forces on Little Folly and Morris Islands. His loss yesterday was about forty negroes killed and fourteen prisoners; several of latter claim to be free, from Massachusetts. Shall they be turned over to State authorities with the other negroes? G. T. BEAUREGARD. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, Maj. Gen. J. B. MCPHERSON, Commanding Seventeenth Army Corps: GENERAL: You will take immediate charge of transporting to the steamer and embarking of the Confederate sick and wounded for New Orleans or other points to which they are to be transported by water. Make requisitions on Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham, chief quartermaster, for river transportation and for such land transportation, ambulances, &c., as you may require, and for medical and commissary supplies on the medical director and chief commissary of the department. You will see that this order is promptly executed. By order of Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant: JNO. A. RAWLINS, Assistant Adjutant-General. |