The New York herald., 1862-08-15
THE ExcHky,sE OF PRISONERS.


OF Harrisons Landing, that army has advanced ~
far since my letter. but that by accident have been
enabled TO progress TO within three miles Of Fort Darling
the Southern OF Gibraltar and from hero ndite my
letter instead the base Of McCsans operations The
terms Of general exchange of prisoners based upon
the cartel Of 1872 agreed upon last month by Major Con
eral John A. Dix behalf Of our government aud
Robert Oud for the South, having been competed the
rs, nstamens Of Southerners held as captives by the
United States were delivered up yesterday AZ Aikens
landing and in turn we received ,016 from the rebc
government The prisoners that come from washington
Forts Delaware and Warren comprised those taken ~
Roanoke Newbern Pulaski, &c, among them Generaa
Buckner and Tilghman and officers Of various ranks
The Union prisoners received by us were exclusively
non commissioned ofncers and prvates
In order carry the stad forms and ceremonies
the "carte" Brgadier General Lorenzo Thomas AdutaM
General United States Army met Robert Ould and severa
other Southerners, with whom the mutual exchange wH
perfected. General Thomas arrived from Washington u
the Henry Burden accompanied by his two sons
eutsnans Of artillery wife and daughter, and Captan
John s. Stevenson, Of the marine artillery
On the passage the James river four Of the releases
rebels died One Of Them Colonel J. M Davis, pacet
in coffin and arrival at vsrna forwarded TO Rich
mond for interment.
At about nine O'Clock this eorning the first nstalmen
OF our prisoners having arrived at the landing late Last
night were marched board or the steamer Knicker
booker and sent Harrisons Landing The others ar
irving shortly were taken board OF the transports
state Of Maine, Wilson Small, New Haven and Catskh
The steamer Georgia remained behind to receive som
two hundred officers who expected late in thu
afternoon
Although it generally known at Harrson's Landing
that large number of rebel prisoners had passed that
point on the way to Richmond it was not understood
that an exchange of our would so speedily
arta darLr xvbnn Mr.
Boston, at present employed by the Commonwealth o.
Massachusetts look after the sick and wounded, ana
detailed on board OF the fine little steamer VIM
W. Frazier, Captain Geo. Godfrey, running as nag
Of truce boat, informed me that his boat was n
proceed to Aiken's Landing after some OF our pri
sones among would be Colonels Michael Corcoran
and o. b. Wilcox and others. Being invited to accompa
ny the flag willingly did so, inasmuch as have never
advanced so Dixie the breaking out of the re-
beion. Mr. Gibbs in charge of three thousand
ratons, which supplied BY Captain Bliss for the use
OF our prisoners AS each Of the above named boats
touched at the landing the Frazier hauled Alongside and
supplied with fresh bread boiled bacon and pork cof
fee sugar salt onions and other Injuries, OF which
ai OF innocent Of partaking during the term
Of their captivity. The following is the distribution made
! by Mr.. Gibbs to tho respective boats
| 500 doubc ratons to steamer State of Maine.
| 500 dogbe rltions TO steamer Knckerbocker
200 double raticns to steamer Wilson Small.
| 200 double raons to steamer New Haven
| 900 double ratitns to steamer Catskill
Ana the remainder to the steamer Georgia besides
fresh slaughtered bullock furnished by Captain steven
| FOR the sc Of the expected Union officers
| The avidity with which our poor starved SOL
diers teyaurcd the generously supplied and aeundant
rations ca nccd that the scarcity Of food in
rebe.don-so slrcnuoGsy denied by the rebel journals
is strictly true nasmuc. rs our men report Tic same,
and captured rebels ibstaAtiae it. Tim statement made
by me in preriols letter regarding the health of the
city oi Richmond il strictly true, every house therein
i stocked with sick and wounded the whole resembling
one vast hospital u the rebels were disposed TO treat
| our well--whch is extremely doubttu-they had
not The means TO 90 So owing TO the dearth OF provl-
sonsslt especially The latter article is sold for two
| dollars and fifty cents per quart: ham and bacon,
seventy ave cents per pound butter 81 % per pound;
sugar thirty cents: coffee 81 20 81 10 tea is luxury
| in which only the f. VS. can indulge, nasmuch as
nothing less than eight and ten dollars can purchase
pound The repeated tale exobtance in prices for
and every article Of food and rament Is here rete-
rated and Of our prisoners informed me that he sold
his boots which happened to be nearly for thirty
worthless Confederate scrip: but in Richmond, where
desposm is dominant and the refusal OF the bogus trash
by dealers s paramount TO treason yet my informant
had opportunity Of spending the money thus obtained
which enabled him to add some uxuries to his scanty
| supply Of provisions.
The major portion Of released Union prisoners were Of
capture and unlike those taken at Bull run last
difference or shame awakened in rebel bosoms
at the good behay or Of our people towards the rebels
confined in Northern prisons.
The proprietor Of Verna or more favorably known as
"Aiken's Landing" is Virginan named A. n. Aiken
His farm, plantation he calls it comprises tract or
$500 ~ beautiful table and woodlands From his
close proximity TO The rebel capital or probably moro
from choice he is as bitter secessonist as have yet
He OF course rsiteraes the popular senti-
OF the South that they could never he subdued
until every man. woman and child was exterminatcd In
a conversation with me he denounced the Conhscation
act accused Of stealing their negroes,
and would listen to no argument 10 the contrary. He
said that every negro In the South would fight until
death his before he would allow himself to be
stolen and sold by the Yankees. This man, although in
tcgcnt, his high notions OF Southern Independence,
| and should it happen that army was quartored
upon his farm he would probably be good Union man.
else escape the rebel lines leaving his property be-
hind He informed that all the slaves would be re-
within the supervision Of the rebel army for pro-
| lection.
The distance rom arrison's Bar To Aken's Lending ID
| from twenty TO twcntyf fvo miles by water The bends
in the James rves are numerous, but the scenery all
along both shores is superb City Point Is among the
things that ~ and presents nought but mass OF
charred ruins. The large dock OF the Petersburg and
Richmond Railroad Company is destroyed, as also the
spacious warehouse and depot. The house on the hill,
which served shelter to the rebels while firing on
our gmhoats, also lsvelled, aud but one or two
houses visible from the James river that net
demolished by our feet.
II currently reported in Richmond last evening
that at the ght yesterday at Malvern Hill General Long
street taken prisoner with six hundred Of his
| Heavy renoscencnts wore hnrrying from the city
| TO rccapturc Malvern Hin and annhilats our
/ tlat Stonewal Jackson defeated General Pope in
| the valley. The btcrest inyectives arc indulgcd
in by the rebels against Gen. Pope and they declare thas
! If he is ever captured he will certainly swing
The rebel prisoners lately confined In the Old Capitol
prison at Washington came down in the steamboat Geor
gia charge OF Capt B. L. Higgins Of the Eighty sixth
Sew York Volunteers, and Lieut.. j. Miller, Tenth New
Jersey Volunteers, ard guard Of twenty men. just be-
fore the Georgia reached Akons Landing Col Reynolds,
of the Twen;y.slxth Mississippi regiment handed the
following edngs Of meeting held by the prisoners
on beard OF the vessel expressive Of their thanks copsc
| queut upon the humane treatment sc. -
! At meeting OF the officers and prvates who have
been confined as prisoners Of war Col Reynolds q tho
Twenty Mississippi being called to the chair and c.
L. B. sutherland appointed secretary, 1t was resolved
l. Tha,we tender oar thanks to Capt Higgins, Of the
Eighty sixth New York regiment and Lieut. Miller, Tenth
i New Jersey regiment, for the kind and gcntlemany
treatment we received while in their charge both when
confined in the Old Capitol prison aud the boat
veying South. We also request these officers to
vey to Mr. VIM ,. Wood the gentleman in charge Of the
Old Capitol prison, thanks for the Kind treatment We
| received at his hands
9 That we tender our thanks 10 the captain and Off
of the Georsia for their kindness 10 and
and attention with which they treated those
OF Us who are wounded