Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-27
OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE BE-
TWEEN THE COMMISSIONERS Or
EXCHANGE IN REG ARD ~ IhE
TREATMENT OF GENERAL MOKGAN
AND HIS MEN.


No. L.
OFFICE COuMissIoyER FOR EXCHANGE,
ForrREss MONROE. July 80, 1862 J
IIoy RorrRT OuLp. Commissioner for ES-
change, &c. Richmond, Va:
Sir: This will inform you, and through
vM;. The authorities under whom you acf, that
Gen. John II. Morgan and his officers Will be
placed in close confinement. ana held rs nos
tarcs for the members of Col. StreighSs COM
napd. who have not been delivered IN com,
nl;ance with the conditions OF the carte!
agreed to by Major Gnn. Dix and Mayor Zen
Hill.
Respectfully, yomr Obedicnt servant,
:. 4. MEREDITH
Brio Con. e. S. Y. ana Commissioner for
Exchange.
Mr.. Ould in reply 70 the above, drnhpdS
to know in what respect the "close conhue>
ment" threatened will differ from the conine
ment of other prisoners, and states that Col
Streight's command is treated exactly as are
the other officers held in captivity by US" In
ronly to the charge Of violating the cnrtel
agreed to by Generals Hill and Dix, Mr.. o"id
writes:
In retaining Col. Straeht and his coglmand
the Confederate authorities have not gone rs
far rs thoae of the United States have claimed
c,r, themselves the. right to ~ ever since the
establishment nf that cartel. Yen have claimed
and cxcrcisrd The right to retain officers ana
mar in,Infi .it"ly, not only upon charges ac,u-
aliv nreirrrod. buE uNon mere suspicion. A"l
have now in Gust DaT "tH'er5 who were IN ron,
nrmnnt when ,hc cartel WAS framed, ana
.rho have since been declared cXrhaH@"1.-
Some Of them have been tried, hut most OF
-hom have ancuinhcd IL prison all the weary
time without trial ~ charges. stand pre-
p,rrd 10 prnve these S.srtnrs. This course
vas pur.und. too, in The face not only OF rn-
irn bur "f protest. Do ynu deny to use the
r;eht 10 tfotan officers and men fUT trial upon
rravc charges, while you claim the right Z"
keep in confinement any VIII" may b" the oH'
ents Of your suspicion or SPECIAL Gnmity
Roreivng no ronlv to the Ij'.rgoias, dated
August lst. on the 2S:h Of the same month,
Hr. Ou!d raassurca he Federal agent that Col.
S-roisht and his '.i er, are treated "zactly as
nthers held in confinement At the Libby, and
demands an czrlanarion Of the outrageous
treatment oc Conceal Morgan ard his brother
,Gic.r-
On tha 2sIh of Inc following month, S. A:
Meredith. the Felera! Commissioner, writes
to Mr. Ould from Fortress Monroe, after mcrc
than months silence on the question:
Sir: Had | succeeded, latter waiting thir-
tv hours). in obtaining an interview with You
when ] was last at City Point. had intended
to explain TO you that the United States nu-
rhoritcS had nGihing whatever {" d" with the
treatment that N. Morgan ard his command
received when imprisoned nt Cnsuabus. Such
tr..,.mcnt was wholly unauthorized.
The suhioincd correspondence then ensurs.
br which it will DO seen that Commissioner
Ould has caught the Federal agent in very
embarrassing and disgrace(ul prcdicamcnt:
No. ).
RICHMOND, Oct. 2, 1863.
Briqldier General s. 1. Meredith, AyEat Of
EEchGnGc:
Sir: A. you did not have The opportunity
to rxrain To NE At City Point how the Uni
ted States authorities had nothing tn do with
the trra.lnent that General Morga.. and his
command received when imprisoned at CO.
lumhus" vii! you lc 50 kind ~ IN DO it now?
7 thought Morgan and his compland were
prisoners of var captured by the United
States forces and therefore in their custody.
You and | have talked twice about General
Morgan, and 10 hint was thrown ont that he
was not IL prisoner of the United States. 80
lar from t!at, on the %oth Of july last, ydn
informed me hy letter that General John IL.
Morgan and his officers riH bn PLACED in close
confinement and held as hostages for Ike
members of Colonel StrGight's command. -
VIII you plna.c ezp!ain 10 me-. what you
meant by this notice Of the 3rth Of July. ii
'the United States authorities had nothing 10
do with the treatment that General Morgan
and his command received" Nay, more,
will you enligh:en me as 10 the point. shy
the United States authorities have allowed
their prisoners and ''hostases" &c receive such
'.unauthoriscd treatment" for two months =
hope the rcaaon is not cf such nature that
it canSonly be communicated in !: whisper
Let nc have it on paper.
Respectfully, your obcdient servant,
RsBEgT 0rLD,
Agent If Exchange.
TNn T.