The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-11-29

the assurance 10 make IT, Yet on pre-
eIsely this ground rests the foundation
Tor the eighteen thousand paroles which
you claim as valid. Paroles on the Geld
OF battle, often given in haste by an
euemy unable 90 take care Of or receive
them, are informal and invalid by the
laws Of war. Most Of the paroles above
ntni ned were a5ea by guerEiliss, |
oushw aekers and detached commands in |
the West.
No possession was ever had, no de- /!
livery was ever msds, aud no roll hsve
ever been furnished of those giving /
them. Ga the capture Of . town by 4 /
cavalry raid, the command remained
long enough 10 take the paroles Uf the
unarmed citizens there, and then de
eamped, leaving tine parOled men behind,
and forwarding the paroles 10 aecumu
late IN yOer Office Ia Richmond, vet yOu
have the assurance to say that you ex.
pect the United States Government 10 |
exchange prisoners lsgitimately captured |
in battle, and now held in custody, for I
such paroles as these.
II is well for you 10 write letters fill /
ed with well-feigned indignation At any I
imputation upon the integrity or homes |
ty Of yOnr Government or yourself, for
publication in the South to delude the |
suffering people there INFO the belief that
you and your Government are doing
verYthing TO cause a resumption Of ex-
changes, but feel il my duty 10 say
that your principles are 50 flexible aud
your rule Of action 50 slightly influenced
by q sense OF truth, honesty. or honor,
that feel it almost impossible to arrive
ct any fair understanding with 20 on
the subject, and all my efforts tuus far,
for the above reason, have been fruitless.
In your communication of October q. I
you use the following language: Il
state that General Orders Nos. 40 and /
100 were not sent To me at the same time. /
| received General order No. 10 Iona befys
No. leo was delivered to me. Their res
pective dates will show that to be the /
fact My own personal recollection is /
that General Order No. 100 was never I
communicated in letter"
You then proceed TO impress the pub
lie with an idea Of your careful habits, |
as follows:
at is my habit faithfully to keep all /
letters written by the Federal Agent Of /
Exchange" But this most important |
letter happened TO be mislsid, which in
telligence you convey to the Southern /
public as follows: A careful search of
toe records of my office does not disclose
any letter from Lieutenant Colonel Lud-
low, communicating General Order No
100 0l November z, sent you copy
of the letter hereto annexed, copied from
Colonel LudloW's letter book, bus through
fear that it might have met the the fate
Of the original, and miscArried, send il
again;
HE.ps'Es DLPARTMyyr OVyfscfNtA,)
7th Army Ioris, Fortress Mouric, Va,
May p, lsG3.
Hon RoJert Oula, Agnt jor Exchange Of
Prisoners:
Sal have the honor 10 enclose 10 (
you copies Of General Orders Nos. 40 and
100 Of War DEPARTMENT, announcing my /
relations and instructions for the gov
ernment Of The United States forces in
the field in the matter Of paroles. These,
together with the stipuIatiOns Of the
cartel, will govern our army. l would
invite your special attention TO article
seven Of the cartel, which provides that
all prisoners Of war shall be sent to places
Of delivery therein specified. The exc
cution OF this article will ObViate much
discussion and difficulty growing out OF
the mode, time and place Of giving pa
roles. No paroles or exchanges will be
considered binding except those under
ths stipulatiOus OF said article, permit
ting commanders Of two opposing armies
to exchs sage or release on parole at other
points mutually agreed on by said COM
mAndeFs
am, very respectfully, your Obedisnt
servant,
WILLIAM II. LUDLOW.
1t appears 10 me that you have been
unfortunate on two occasions first, in
forgetting the statement you have made
to me, alluded to in the beginning Of this
communication and second, in your no.
having received the above letter. As
Communications between ths Agents OF
Exchange go drought two hands (the
z ssistant AGENT it strikes me as httle
extraordinary that out Of hundreds,
the above should be the only one to mis-
carry.
The denlaIs Of facts which abound in
your last letter, though they may have
some weight in the South, will not avail
to convince the people Of the North that
you are not utterly reckless Of integrity
an d fsirnesf, and full Of fses5e, in your
declarations Of exchange, and the fund
ations you claim fer them.
Respectfully,
S A. MEREDITH,