Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-09-18
What Col. Stone Did.

| commissioners to ploct cd to aShlngton an(
procure, if possible, an exchange. The agen
of the Confederate Government consented tt
such mission, exacting from Stone a prom
ise that, if he failed, he would return ant
surrender himself prisoner again. More
than this, Stone made the same promise tt
his fellow prisoners, assuring them that if he
could not procure the release of all, he woult
not accept his own, but would return an(
submit to the same fate. On these conditions
so'emnly made, Stone tcame to Washington
and failed. What then did he do? Came tC
Iowa with large flourish of drums, procured
Gov. kirkwood's interposition, was ex
changed and left his fellow prisoners there a
Macon to bear long months of imprisonment
while he aired his heroic deeds before gap
ping crowds at the street corners. And there
are men who were the victims of his treach
cry, who waited weary months for the help
he did not procure, who looked anxiously fol
his coming, as he solemnly agreed, who would
much sooner train a battery on him than tc
elevate him to an official position. To them
he is what he really is---the hero Of a shirt
tail surrender. .-Dubuque DcrGN
Now see how plain tale shall put this
lying Copperhead journalist down At the
request of Gen. Prentiss and iifty-ninc other
Union officers, fellow prisoners with Coone
Stone, the latter started from Selma, Ala
bama, for Washington, to obten cartel by
which the whole number of these officers
might be exchanged. The rebel Government
had given him parole of forty days. Up to
that time, the commanding Generals had ex-
changed prisoners to a certain extent on their
own responsibility, but the Government had
not recognized the right of rebel captives to
claim the privilege of exchange. Col. Stone
made known the object of his mission to the
President, and the subject was submitted for
Cabinet consultation. Only one member Of
the Presidential Council Mr. Chase in
favor of granting the cartel, and the direct
OBJECT of the mission was necessarily aban-
done1. Determined, however, to do all that
could be done for the benefit of his associates
in imprisonment, he obtained from the Pay
master General for them two months pay,
amounting to about SIS 900, for which Col.
onel Stone gave his personal receipt, and
sending one-half the amount to their families
he invested a portion of the other half in
clothing for the prisoners and forwarded this
and the remainder of the money to Selma
Tfese supplies arrived safely, and were most
gratefully received by the prisoners many Of
whom had become nearly destitute Engaged
laboriously in these duties, Col. Stone re.
mained in Washington until thirty eight days
of his parole had expired, and then was sent
by General Mcclellan under flag of truce to
Richmond, where he gave himself up to the
rebel authorities, and was thrown into Libby
PRISON. where he remained two days. AT
the request of the rebel Secretary of War, he
undertook another journey to Washington to
renew his application, receiving an additional
parole of fifteen days. Before the expiration
of that time, he succeeded in efftcting the ex-
change Of the entire number of Union prison
ers at Selma, himself among the number, and
all were set at liberty together on the 18th of
November
These are the plain facts out of which the
series of lying statements copied from the
Herald, Is manufactured Col. Stone receiv-
ed the warmest thanks of his comrades for
his successful services in their behalf and
with perhaps one exception, every man of the
number who may be living on election day
will give him cordial support for Governor
Lest some scoundrelly Tory may say that
these are mere statements on our part we
give below transcript of the endorsements
va Iiio PoilOiS. i'S ~ tliatt
strument was used on the 30th day of May,
1862. On the fortieth day thereafter, the
following endorsement was made On Colonel
Stones parole:
HEADQUARTERS, Petersburg, July 10, 'G3
Major Stone, herein named having re-
ted to me. is ordered and agrees to report
to the Secretary of War in Richmond"
7. II. HOLMES, Major Gen.
Upon the same document there is also this
document:
July 11th, 1868.
Extended fifteen days from the time Maj.
Stone leaves our lines.
GEO. W. RANDOLPH, Sec. of War;"
After the cartel was agreed upon in Wash
ington, the Secretary of War ordered Colonel
Stone TO report Immediately of orders in ST.
Louis; The latter did report Immediately to
Gen. Schofield on the lst Of August, and was
not exchanged till the 18th of the succeeding
November, when the other officers were ex.
changed.
What rebel misrepresentation shall we
have next?-Des Holmes Register.
We have submitted the above statement to
Capt. II. H. Benson, formerly of the Sth
Iowa, but now resident of this pace, who
was fellow prisoner with Col. Stone. lie
says the circumstances as detailed by the
Register are true to his personal knowledge.