Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1863-10-16
The Hitch In the Exchange Of Prison


The Hitch In the Exchange Of Prison
A CORRESPONDENTS between Commission.
ers Ould and Meredith is published. in
which exception is taken to the declaration
Of Exchange by the former declaring two
divisions Of the Yicksburg prisoners
Texas regiment and Waul's legion-ex-
changed. The Federal Commissioner says
that in view Of that declaration, he has de-
clared 10, 0409 Federal troops on parole as
czch anged, which still leaves balance
he now claims, or that the same plumber of
exchanged Confedcrates be returned 70 their
parole. He says:
Your declaration was wholly unwarran-
ted under the cartel, and it might with
great propriety be set aside. Ia it you
failed to announce to me the 9th section.
as published in the Richmond Enquirer, of
the 10Th inst, which covers - officers aud
S,o14 cnlistemen. You did not, according
to the terms of the cartel, furnished me
with any list" or even give me the nam
Der of men, by which I could declare equiv
alents, nor did you give me any time to
prepare my announcement. | here deem it
incumbent upon me to state that consid-
er your course in this matter deliberate
breach Of good faith 90 the part of the au-
tlorities under whom you act. The 9Th ar
ticls of the Cartel General Orders No.
142, 1862 } would have authorized you to
discharge prisoners Of the Federal forces,
furnishing a list Of them, and then you
could have discharged an equal number Of
your own officers aud men ..from parole"
The Cartel not only contemplates a "mu-
tual'' exchange Of lists" article S. but
expressly declare article 4 that no ex-
change is to be considered complete until
TIE officer or soldier exchanged for has been
actually restored to thu lines to which he
belongs.
As to the paroles given at Gettysburg
and elsewhere, you made an agreement with
my predecessor, Lieut. Col LUDLOW, to
take effect from May 22d, 1868. that ali
paroles given not in accordance with the
Cartel should be considered null and void
How then, can you claim as valid the Get
tysburg paroles?
II you have any rolls or lists of any men
whom you have paroled that I have rot
given you credit for, or if there should be
any errors in my account, will be happy
to rectify the same
You declared exchanged, before my pre-
deoessor was received, certain officers cap
tured at Vicksburg, in which declaration he
refused to unite. There are but two off :
GERS, believe, Generals Stevenson and
Bowen. who are covered by your declara-
ton Of the 18th inst. 1.-THE other officers
named have not been returned to their pa
roles, as requested by Lieut.. Col. LUDLOW
you are indebted to us for their equivalents
The chief ground Of the objection to that
declaration is, that at that time there were
no equivalents of the same grade in our
possession, (the only condition which would
have warranted your making the declara-
ton, and if we consented to it we won d
be obliged 10 effect them by Offices of infe-
rior rauk
Commissioner Ould, in lis reply, con-
flutes the statements Of the Federal Commits
sioner, and thus concludes
I know not what you mean by your ref
erence, on your third page, to art. 4 of the
Cartel. All the officers and men whom
declared exchanged we're actually restor-
ed to our lines. All the officers and men
whom | requested you to select as equiva-
Tents for them in the exchange chad been
restored to your Ines
The parties whom have declared ex
changed have not been returned to their
paroles, as requested by Lieut. Col Lud-
low" do not understand by what sort of
reading Of the exchange notice Of the 18th
of September you make out that only 1.-TWO
Offices Gems. Stevenson and Bowenp' were
exchanged. Ny letters of July IS, Sep
TENDER ] |, and September rs will inform
you of all the Ticksburg prisoners officers
and men, whom | have declared exchang-
ed.
Your objection to the declaration of the
exchange of the general officers paroled at
Vicksburg, because there were no equiva-
Tents of the same grade, is exploded by the
provision of the Cartel which declares that
''men and officers Of lower grades may be
exchanged for officers of higher grade ("
| [ have thus answered all the items fyour
letter Of the Oath Sept. regret the ex-
trcme length of the reply. I have, howev
er, confined myself to the matter of that
letter, and to sucl. subjects as were direct
/ ly connected with its contents. In fl~
ture communication will call to your at
tention the instances Of the violation of the
Cartel, by the Federal authorities Not
withstanding the expression Of their sudden
regard for that instrument, will show
they have continued those violations from its
date to the present moment
I now inform you, in view Of the recent
declaration of exchange made by you, cou-
pied with your failure either to agree to or
decline the proposition made to you on the
Oath Of August last, IN relation to paroles.
| that the Confederate authorities will consi2.
er themselves entirely at liberty to pursue
any course as to exchange or paroles which
they may deem right and proper under al
the circumstances of the case. At the sans
time [ am directed to express their entire
willingness to adopt any fair, just and re.
ciprocal rule in relation to those subjects
without delay.
Respectfully,
Your ob't servant,
ROBERT OULD.
Agent Of Exchange.