The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-19
I'll e. LATEST
FROM FORTRESS MONROE.

BY TELEGRAPH


WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-The Tri5unes dis.
patch has the following:
The correspondence between the authorities
of the United States and the rebel authorities,
on the exchange of prisoners, &C., submitted
to the Senate, has just been published. We
copy the letter of General Butler, defining the
position of the Government and himself
ltu2os - Fortress MoNRos, Jan. 70, 1864.
SIR:-Your note, addressed to Major Gen.
eral Hitchcock, in relation to an appointment
by the Government of the United States of a
Commission of Exchange, is returned. This
Government claims and exercises the power of
appointing it's own agents to represent its in
terests, irrespective of any supposed sanction
by the Confidence authorities. No right of
declaration of outlawry by those authorities
OF any officer, or soldier Of the United States
can be admitted or for moment regarded by
the Government of the United States, as it
certainly will not be by the persons upon whom
Intimidation is attempted. am Instructed to
renew the offer. leaving all other questions in
allowance. to exchange man for man. and off. :
Ger for officer of equal rank actually held in
custody by either party, until all prisoners of
war SO held are thus exchanged. I take leave
to express the hope, from humane considers
either side, that this offer will be accepted. l
am further instructed to inform you that unless
the flags of truce sent forward under the sane
ton OF this Department are recognized and re-
spected by your authorities all further COM
munication between this Government and the
Confederate authorities by flag of truce must
cease. however much the loss of it's ameliOra-
ting influences upon the rigOrs of what might
be civilized warfare is to be regretted but
the responsibility of such determination must
be LETT with those whom you represent.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
Your obedt servant, -
(Signed) BENZ. F. BUTLER,
Maj. General, and Com's'n'r of Exchange
10 Hon. ROBT Guild. COm'sn'r of Exchange,
Richmond.
FORTRESS MONROE, Feb. 1.-THE steamer
K. 5. Spauldng arrived this afternoon from
Beaufort N. c., with about $50 prisoners.
All was quiet at Newbern when the steamer
left. Two Union officers a Captain and Lieu
tenant arrived to day on the Yorktown mail
boat, having effected their escape from Libby
Prison. They say that 300 prisoners mostly
officers, had escaped just before they left, as
none Of them have been heard from.
T r FoRTRKss MONROE. Feb. Is.
l have received a telegram under dale of
of February IL, from Gen. Wister which states
that Col. Straight with ITO other Union officers
escaped from lison in Richmond, by digging
tunnel. Col Straight with seventeen officers
is safe. '
(SigneD B. F. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding.
The following officers are reported to have
arrived at Williamsburg: Col Straight Col
McCorry, Lieut.. Colonel Hobart, Capt. Wal
lack, DIST Indiana, Lieut. Harris, 9th Ohio, and
sixteen other officers have arrived at Williams
burg, whose names have not reached here yet
Our cavalry are securing the country to the
Chickahominy. GunbOats have gone up the
James and Chickahominy rivers to give pro-
lection to such Us can be found.
(SigneO B. F. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding.
FORTRESS MONROE, Feb 15.-The following
Is from the Richmond Examiner of the II tn |:
The following is q list of the principal officers
who escaped, and their rank. Among them
we regret to have to class the notorious Col
Straight: Col. j. F. Boyd, Goth Army Corps !;
Col. w. G. Ely, 18th Conn; Col. Ii. c. Ho.
bart, 21st Wis.,; Col N. P. Kendrick, Sd West
Tenn Cav; Col. w. B. McCrary, 3lst Wis !;
Col Thos E. Rose, 18th Penn; Col j. P.
SpaffOrd, 9th N. Y; Col. G. w. TiItOn Och
Maine; Col. L. L. West, oath Wis.,; Col A. D
Straight 51st Ind; Col. D. Miles, 18th Penn;
Maj. J. P. Collins, 18th Ind; Maj G. F. Fitz-
simmons, 18th Ind; Maj H. Hooper, 9Th
Mass; Maj. B. B. Mcdonald, 1OOih Ohio;
Maj. Avon Weitzel, 74th Penn; Major D. N.
Walker, I'D Ind; Major Henry, 9th Ohio;
Col. j. P. Spafford, 9th N. Y; Capt. g. starr
1O4th N. Y; Capt. Fierk, 18th N. Y; Lieut..
H. H. Inks, 9th Pa; Lieut., w. w. Daley,
9Th Pa. cavalry; Lieut. A. White 4th Pa
w. L. Watson, Dist Wis; Lieut.. +. Moran,
I'D N. Y; Lieut. q. II. Morgan and Lieut. Ii.
Chivester, 82d Illinois; Lieut.. w. B Pierce
18th Ky. cavalry; Lieut.. A. Moore, 4th Ky;
Lieut. F. L. Edmonds, 9th Pa !; I'd Lieut. p g.
White, 83d Pa; I'd Lieut.. j NJ. Mason, Alb O.;
I'd Lieut.. P. H. Gamble, 63d Pa. There were
besides thirty-two Captains and fifty-nne Lieu
tenants, making 100 in all, who gained their
liberty without the preliminaries of parole or
exchange. ~ - VIZ M
Of these only four had been returned to the
prison up to last evening Among the recap
Iared were two Captains and two Lieutenants
Gen. Neal Dow did not attempt the passa. &
of the tunnel for the reason that he was afraid
his strength would fab him in his fight TO the
embrace of g Butler the Beast" i'm p"
The Examiner of the 18th has the following
names of those taken up to last night:
+ Second Lieut.. j. 3. Ford. 54th Pa Adiutant
NJ. K Small, 9Th Md; I'd Lieut. > H. Brown.
18th U, g. cavalry; Isaac johnson, Engineer
of the steamer Satellite aa3b ,3sae Y
15 FROM WASHINGTON, Sc