, 1863-11-19
- mS
Pa1oled at Mt. Bterling. is Lar

Pa,oled ii III 5teiiinE: i.....l ~ N
You Etate that the ss1cess," without taking
into account the Mount Sterling captures
~Is as2so. whereas The whole nu1nber, iucfud
ing tald captures, amount only to 1,47i.
| Il. in nsktng up this balance, Lieut. Col
Ludlow failed to give rolls and numoers, ii
Goes not justify 5ou IN anticipating dec1ara
tion by ne, wlslout furnishing me ci,he,
| rolls or nunoers, or giyiog me time 10 con.
suit the records to make them up for myself.
! When the paroling is properly doGe, both "a {.
tics Lave rolls, md then there can be no din
! Guilty IN arranging m exchange to b. simul.a
leoutly dec1aIed. Ton state that, when tho
Federal t,coIs were declared exchauc-
ed to the 9Th Of May, the Confedcrates ncfe
drcla,ed exchanged 70 the :e3d Of Aay, Inclu.
tt7e- I have nothing to show tha: the e1-
chsrges On both sides were not alike The
Contsde1ate prisoners delivered between the
ne have already received equivalents for the,n.
they should b. deducted from nv former
computation. Without counting these, the
humber covered by Jour defamation Of Seps.
l., and he t16sequelt explanatory declasa-
ton Of Sept. Ut, amounts to 23,45O.
The number IT Federal troops on par3le to
September 1st and declared exchanged,
amounts to 23,011- The officers Included ase
rhose paroled at GettyEbaTgh and elsewhere
rot those delivered ut City Point.
These numbers differ fum tho,e given to
>
iAtion, all enlisted men were counted allie.
whereas Eon-c0mmiesioAed officers should
IaEe been ceuo1ed as two p,ivatea.
Giving you, then, credit for the 1888 en-.
asted Men, which yon eta:e were delivered
AID declared exchanged by Ccl Ludio n, Won
are now in our debt 5, $50 enlisted men,
iou state tia! you nave in your possession
valid paroles amounting to 1900 men. For
III lie prisoners that NC claim as on parole
We can shoF the rolls Of delivery ut the
places named In the cartel, receip:ed BY Con-
federate officers; and If ron can show Ifmtir
rells Of the 10000 men you speak Of they
FllI, Of course, be recognized as valid. and
5su viii be credited with them.
Respectfully your ob't eery't,
8. a. MEREDITH,
Brig. Gen and Com. for E1eh.
RICHMOND, Oct. es. 1883.
Brig, Gen. s. A. Meredith, Agent Of Exchange:
SIR: You say my reference to the acts Of
Lieut.. Col. Ludlow" does not sustain me,
fou further say "the troops thus declared
Exchanged by Lieut.. Col. Ludlow are as fol-
at regiment 11ataaa yoluateers,.......... 81,
1oA =, ~, :. ---...-.... NB3
Ten1eEseo CaYalry......-........... IS
Pasolea ii Mount stei1g. '9Ss 9Ss
Grand total <......-.................. 1,47t
Permit me TO say that I read this paragraph
q Jour lettsr with ys1y great surprise. In
ny letter Of the I'd inst, which you were
contestipg, ] gave at length the communlca-
lions Of Lte1t Col. Ludlow, and by reference
to it, you will find that not only are the regi-
ments which you have named therein men
TONED, but also the Holly Springs capture,
numbe1irg 1,SS3 privates; the 01at Illinois
regiment, numbering o19 privates; the OIL
cers and lcen Of the 1ndtano1a, mum oaring 90
prigates, and S0th regiment Illinois yofau.
1eers,. numbering 400 prlvates. Not on1y IS
that 1he case, bur yo1r enumeration Of l,47I
p1ivates in the specified regiments Ia incor-
You misname one Of the regiments also. Tue
regiment declared exchanged Was not the 75th
Ldiana, but the 73d
In an interview with me, at City Point, In
the presence Ct Major Mulfo1d, you admitted
that all Cenfedela ate officers and soldiers de-.
litered At the City Point before the 23d Of
May, 1858, wsre declared exchanged, whila
the Federal soldiers were only declared ex-
changed up to May G, 1868. Yet, IN your 1st-
ter written subsequent to this admission, Won
sa5 5on "taye nothing to Bhow that exchaug-
es On both sides were not alike" Siucs yosr
made tie eame admission. II the fact il dc.
pied At any time, stand prepared to prove
It.
As to yorr computation based upon nv
declarations Of exchahge, refer yoa TO nv
letter OF tie ed Of October, 1868. Every
statement therein con1ained, Is strictly and
accurately correct I again asEert, what l an
ready to prove, that have il my possession
more valid paroles Of or oflcers and men
Than would be an equivalent for the exchange
es have declared up to this date.
'Respec!fully, your obe1icnt servant.
ROBERT OuLD, Agent OF Exchange,
RICHMOND, TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 1868
MIg ~Gen; s. 4. Meredith, Agent Of Exchange:
61K:-Note than month ago asked your
ae1ufescence In proposition, that all officers
snd soldiers On bo:h sides, should be released |
iu conformity with the p:oyis1on6 Of the car
tel In o,5er to obYiate the difficulties be-
tween us, suggested that Ill officers and
nen, tsn both sides. ehcn.d be released; unless |
they we're sutjcct to charges, IN which eycnt |
the opposite GcVerEment should have the |
1tghF OF holdipE one or more hostages If the |
retention Was not Justified. You stated to |
ne, In conversation, that this proposition |
was very fair, azd that you wonfd ask the |
ccnt EFT Of your Government to It, As usual. |
you have ~ get made no response. lta1l you
tfankly do not expect any. Perhaps you
may d'sappeint me, and tell mo that Vou Re.
1ect Or aecept the proposition. I write this
recollection my proposition, and Of disslpat- |
ing the idea that teems to havo been Dur
that the Confederate dovernueut bus rcfnssd
or objected to system Of exchanges.
In order to aVoid a1y mistake In that dIrec.
tfou, I now propose that Ill officers aud men,
On both aides, be 1e1eaEed, In conformity With !
the provisions ofthe cartel, the excess On one |
Side or the other to bh On DaroIe VIII xnu