The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-06-21
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, June 10th, 1876!

VAShINGTOS, june lVtn, 1917.
Editor Courier Col. Miller Of the 9Th
Missouri, Maj. Stone. of the Sd Iowa. and
Capt. . - Of the 4sth Illinois Volunteers
arrived here yesterday from Selma, Alabama
Since their captivity on that fatal Sabbath,
at Shiloh, they have been extensive travel.
lers in Dixie. They were first sent to
Memphis, next to Columbus, Miss, then tc
Mobile, thence to Montgomery, and from
there to Selma Alabama, where all the cap
tured officers Of Shiloh, are now imprisoned
The Major looks hearty and is full Of life,
although he has had nothing to eat, since o
prisoner, but spoiled meat, poorly cooked
and issued in scanty rations. They have not
had change of clothing since their captivi.
ty. The Major and his companions are here
on parole for forty days. ten Of which have
now expired, to effect general exchange OF
prisoners. Our government is willing to
make the exchange, except for Buckner, who
has been indicted for Treason in Kentucky,
and the government wants to make an ex.
ample of him; for this reason the rebels
want to save him. He has been to them
doubly useful, first by being traitor to his
State, and then to the General Government.
Prentiss is the only Federal Brigadier they
have, and they will only exchange him for
Buckner, and make the whole exchange turn
on that one. There win be strong effort
made to effect general exchange, and |
trust that it will he successful If Buckner
is exchanged he will have to. escape the
country, or still be tried as Traitor under
the indictment. 1t is only question of time
with him.
The Major says that Prentiss fought most
calamity and bravely, and only surrendered
when fully surrounded, and not until after
FIVE o'clock p. m. that the rebel officers give
him the credit Of saving the Union army
that had his division given way as others
did early in the day, they could and would
have destroyed the whole army. The Major
is Of the same opinion.
maJ. OlouO soy . euol oc iot % uc C1H lcdtt
the whole South is unit in the Rebellion,
except the Negroes and the ''poor white
trash," the negroes being used to cultivate
the land, and the poor whites are driven in
to the army and made to fight when they
do not run away that the whole Of the cot
ton States are one military organization,
controlled entirely by military law, the whole
country being patroled to keep the negroes
in subsection. There is no cotton planted
except for seed, the whole country being
one grand corn and potatoe field The wheat
crop has been harvested, but wes very in
different yield. Corn and potatoes look well
south, and all the crops look well in Virginia
where the army has not been.
The Major only confirms what all sensi-
BILE loyal men have known for long time
namely, that to put down the Rebellion, the
leaders must he made to know that the Gov
efnmen. means to punish them and free
their slaves wherever our army goes-not
protect them with our army Is has been done
far too much.
The Major is very anxious to be with his
Regiment again, where he can still battle for
the good cause. Ifhe succeeds in an ex-
change, he will visit Iowa on his return to
bis regiment. IOWA.