, 1864-11-03
RF COLORED
SOLDIERS
CoYregp0Hd derco between Gems. Graft
and Lee-N he LA1te1H argument Tor
RetRfH1hg Negro pfls0hcta to Sl4Very
-ReApQAAe OF Gem Grant.

WAHHlHaTqH. tEt. ~ 1G-l
The Richmond Enquiyer Of Oct % has the
following correspondence between Generals
Lee and GRAFT, relative to the treatment OF
negro soldiers and retaliatory measure of
General Butler:
GENERAL Len TO GENERAL GRAFT.
HEADeuARrzas Army EoaanEnN Hs1ans7 9o.S ySl1aN ,,s
Lieut.. General q. S. Grsnt, Commanding q, 8. A.:
G1xEaA1.: In accordance with instsnctions from
the Hon. Secretary Of the Confederate States. l
tave the hoEor 10 cali your attention g me SUD
Mojor- General B. F. Butler. m officer andet your
command, 10 the Ron, Robert o4ld, commissioner
de.staudine ol liz matter, eaclcse copies Of the
communications. You viii perceiSe oy o9e q
them that the writer has placed number Of GU
ndsnners d var captured By tho Omitted saatas
jorcet at labor in the canal at Dutch Gap. - retail
tot te e. wan q on 5aad
who are Faid to have been put 10 "ofh On oae 'os*
n6c8t1oEB. -
particular useroes a1ndet to. beg to explain the
policy pursued By the Confederate Governmsut
towards this c'ass Of persons Woen captured By
service of tie Unlted States rhen taken by us,
Who are not Identified as the property Ct citizens
REGARDED az prisoners Of wa., being held to be
proper subjects OF Exchange, as recently hsd the
ho5or s1, so inform yoa. No labor Is excited from
ffeiat1,' Of II Confederate States, and Who
| accord, leave their owner and lie ptaced In the
mil'aIy eE naval service Of the United States, oc-
eqpy eneTet ~ Poson The riehte to Ihe service
~ ~ " r. ssne LoT A. when ne states members
the owrers OF this speciea OF property are lie
A. those 50 frequently atd so long Recognized u
United 5taee. with reference to lie same ci.ss Of
| pereons BY vir!oe o. tts organic Inv.
f TIE Il sas 81
| thecuies incumbent upon the several common
| governments u1der which they have been from
lawful ow1e.s Of saves recaptured from tho public
enemy. It has been uniformly held that the cap
ture or abduction Of slave Goes not impair tbe
reht Of The owner to such slave but that the right
attaches to him Immediately upon recapturs.
such was the practice Of the American States da-
ring their struggle for independence. me severn
tored to he owners, slaves abducted by the Bht.
ish forctB and subsequently recaptared bJ the
Brltsin, ;he touIss pursued BY The United States
light Of tbe owner the slave recap.ured from the
ias aens
dncl1on OF alayes WIS helliGesent right and the
latter power thtlsted upon aad ultimately secured M
Btitith Government for e!aves taken bY its forced
during the war q 1917 ana 1t Is supposed
.hat .svs belonging TO- ei1s1 a q stt,e y
AZ QUE u the United states, were to escape into
one OF the Confederate Statee, cr be- captured Of
owner to reclaim him would be as clear now ~ IN
1s19, the Constitution Of tue United States being
uncharged In thls particular and that Instrument
Legislative and diplomatic ar!s and correspondence
Of tho Unied States ss inpoelng upon the govera-
sops o s ntbo ss
osnized as such BY he several staieis. Toe con
tiona Obligations, coneiuers IS that Of The United
States did, that the capture or abduction Of no.
gro slave does not preclude the lawful oTnsz from
j. rec1alminR him WEet captured and An instructed
to ray thht all such slave property ss be-
lougiIE to eiuzens OF any Of the confederate states,
vii b restored tie other reeaptured private prop
: s1ty 10 thute a. titled to them-
Having endeavuret to explain the general policy
Of the Confederate EoTernmelt with regard to ibis
subject, beg leave TO state the facts copcern,ns
the particular transactions referred to in the in
u closed communication. The netE2es recent!y cap
turet BY our folces were sent to Richmond, Will
other Federal prisoners. Alter thelr arrival 1t wsa
discovered that a lumber OF them were ela4es be
feC crate S,utee. ard Of this class ntty-nine. az
lea1n, wter sent With other negroes, TO Wosk Of
The ior:lac1tions around Richmond until ther Own
was informed OF the fact lees than two days after
wards, not wishing to employ them mere, ordstee
thtm to be ss1t to he rear. By msapprehensior
l
ierred to cur lines eouth Of James River but whe1
appei.ed OF the errcr repeated the order Of thef
Z removal. II any negroes were included amo?G
this number who were not identified as the slaYel
OF citizens OF residents Of some Of ths Confederate
States. ttey were included without the kno Wedge
| or anlhonty Of the War Department, ~ alresa]
l. explained, and the mistake, when discoFered
| would hATe beep corrected
1t Gully remains for me to say that negroes EN-
| p'oyed upon our fortfcations are not allowed tt
j, be placed where they will bs exposed to fire, and
l. there is 10 foundation for any statement to tn.
contrary The author Of the communic !t1ons re
tesred to has considered himself jnet6ed by the re-
mort Of two deeeFters who do rot A1leGe thA: ths
negroes In question expoaed to sny danger Ii
r placing our prisoners unutr fire ot our batteries
In new oi the explanations OF the prscces Of the
Confederate Government above given, and Of tht
staten int Of facts have made, nave now, In &C
cordarce with my Instructions, respectively to IT,
Quire whether the course pursued tow4rd our ptts
onera ~ set forth in the 2enyine letters hat
I your sar ction, ard whether it will be maintained
: Very respectfully, four o9edisnt servant,