Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-12-10
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF
WAR.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF
WAR.
The Report Of Mr.. Stanton, Secretary oi
War, submitted yesterday, will attraet general
attention by its marked ability and the clear
inteslis sfble showing IL makes OF the military
operations Of the year, and Of the existing mil.
ftary situation. The victories Of Stone Rivei
and Of Gettysburg, the operations before Vickr.
burg and Port Hudson, the occupation Of Eas!
Tennessee, the battle Of Ohleksmauga, and the
recent splendid successes before Chattanooga,
and other engagements Of less note, Secretary
stanton says, are events that evince skill, cour-
age and 10y al patriotism, aud a briuiaDcy oi
military achievement by the forces of the
United States unsurpassed in any age: while
the less fortunate battles OF Fredericksburg and
Charlottesville manifested the spirit and for
i1tude OF our troops in degree worthy of the
his best admiratiou.
BY the reduction of Vicksburg and Port Hud- :
son, the navigation of the Mississippi river "a.
been opened, and the national commerce Is
rapidly aud securely returning to that great
his hway of the continent The rebel territory
has been cpt lD twain; the States west of the
Nj ssissfppi no longer furnish their ample sup
plies 10 The rebele, while the people Of those
S'ates are showing such signs Of their return-
ing loyalty that spec dy restoration OF civil
government may confidently be anticipated.
In this view, the reduction of stronc cholds,
the capture OF pI isoners by thousands, aud the
aequisiticn CT Immune stores Of munitions of
war, are not morr i'm portant than the political
meIts. The occupation OF East Tennessee by
the forces under General Burnside, and the
operations res ultine in the occupation OF UhRt-
taI oOga- and the defeat Of Bragg's army BY the
forces under General Grant. not only shed
lustre upon our arms, but, by affording pro
lection 10 loyal population, they cannot fail
greatly to weaken The rebel strength, and oper-
ate strongly in restoring the authority of the
Federal Government
The Federal force is now firmly planted IN
every rebel State: and there is reason " hop9
thnS nttc-f
those States Will soon cast OFT the yoke Of their
leaders, and seek VI ithn the Union that peace
and security for life, liberty, and property
which, In blind madness, were recklesAly
thrown away.
The success Of our arms during the last yesc
has enabled the Department to make q reduc-
tlon of over two hundred millions of dollars
iii the war estimates for the ensuing fiscal year
In the operations that have beer alluded 70,
prisoners OfWar to the mum Der Of about tn irta-n
thousand have fallen into the hands OF the
enemy, and are now held nv them From tn .
commencement of the rebellion, until the War
department came into my charged, there was
DO cartel or formal exchange OF prisoners but
at an early period after wards Just and reason
able cartel was made ketween Major General
Dix and the rebel General Hill, which, until
recently, was faithfully acted upon by both
parties. Exchanges under that cartel are now
stopped, manly for the following reasons:
First. At Fieksburg over thirty thousand
rebel prisoners fell into our hands, and over
five thousand more Mt Port Hudson These
prisoners were paroled and suffered to return
TO their homes, until exchanged pursuant to
the terms Of the cartel. Blu, the rebel agent, in
violation OF the cartel, declared the Ficasburs
prisoners exchanged; and, without being ex-
changed, the Port Hudfon prisoners he, with
out lust cause. and in open violation OF rhe car
tel, declared released from their parole. These
prisoners were returned 20 their ranks. and q
portion OF them were found fighting at Chat
tanooea. and again captured. For this breach
OF faith, unr1ampled in civilized warfare, the
only apology or excuse was, that an UNEQUAL
number of prisoners had been captured by the
enemy. But, on calling for specifications in
regard to these alleged priso it was found
prisoners were not eoldiers, but were non
ombatants-citiZens OF towns and villages,
farmers, travellers, and others in civil life, not
captured i'll battle, but taken At their homes. on
their farms, or on the highway, by John Nor.
gan and other rebel raiders, who put them
under sham parole. To balance these men
be relieving the enemy from the pressure OF
war, and enable him TO protract the contest TO
indefinite duration.
Second. When the Government commenced
organizing co1ored troops, the rebel leader
Davis, by solemn and official proclamation,
AM ounced that the colored lroops, and their
while officers, If captured, would not be recog-
nised as prisoners OF war, but would be given
up for punishment by the State authorities
These proceedings Of the rebel authorities
were net by the earnest remonstrance and pre-.
test OF this Government, without effect. The
offers, by our commissioner, to exchange man
for man, and cf1cer tor officer, or to receive and
provide for our own soldisrs, under the solemn
guarantee that they should not 20 into the field
until duly exchanged, were rejected In the
meantime, well ll-authentcated statements show
that our troops held as prisoners of war were
deprived OF shelter, clothing and food, and some
have perishsd from expos nrs and famine. This
savage barbarity could only ha We been practised
in the hope that this Government would be
compelled, by sympathy for the suffering en-
of exchanging oil the prisoners OF war on both
sides, paroling the excess not actually ex-
changed; en- me e enect OF which operation would
army forty thousand strong, forcing the paroled
prisoners into the ranks without exchange as
was done with those paroled at Vicksburg and
Port Hudson, and also to leave in the hands OF
the rebels the colored soldiers and officers, who
are not regarded by them as prisoners of war,
and therefore not entitled to the benefit Of the
proposed exchange.
We have now 4O,UO prisoners TO exchange,
and the rebels hold but 13, 600 Of ours, who are
fed BY this Government and by bens olsnt and
the privileges heretofore allowed rebel pris-
oners in our hands have been curta.led on
account OF the barbarites practiced upon our
prisoners BY the rebels. 1t it should become
necessary, strict retaliation viii be Iesorted to;
but while the rebel author tiles suffer this Gov.
eminent to feed and clothe our troops held as
prisoners, we shall be content to continue to
their prisoners in our hands the humane treat.
ment they have uniformly enjoyed.
The operation Of the act OF Congress for en-.
rolling and calling out the National forces is
Ie1eIIeu to, ouu Suo report staIeS Ln6t the law
has been enforced In twelve States, and In
these $1,000 soldiers have been realized. With
all Its imperfections, It is demonstrated that the
act can be made an efficient means for recruit
ing our armies and calling out the national
forces. The principal imperfections, and the
required amendments. will be submitted 10
Congress through the appropriate committees.
The most important to be considered Is what
is called the three hundred dollar commuta-
tion. This feature Of the act has been much
discussed, and opposing opinions are nearly
halan ced as TO the operation and effect Of this
provision. While come claim that ii is op-
pressive upon poor men, and favors the rich,
others contend that il places the rich and poor
upon an equal footing, and enables poor man
to obtain exemption from military duty for q
sum within the reach Of every one Without
III dertakng to reconcile or decide between
there conflicting opinions, it is certain that this
clause OF exemption, as it stands, occasions de.
lay in calling out the military force. The
drafted man is exempted, at the end OF a long
proceeding, by the payment of q sum of money,
Supposing that sum to be adequate for proc1.
ring substitute, considerable time unayoida.
bly, elapses before competent substitute can
be procured. The question whether this ciause
shall remain or be stricken out req uires the
early attention of Congress. The fund of ten
Iowa Gntr u H..