, 1864-02-09
THE EXCHANGE OF PRISON
ERS,

WASHINGTON. Feb 6-The commission Of :
Gen Hitchcock Of Dec. 16, authorized him
to confer with Gen. Butler, and designated
him as an agent to procure the exchange Of :
soldiers and officers, when terms not con- ;
1icting with the position Of the Department :
relative to co1orcd soldiers, nor 6urrendcriug
men without Just equivalent, man for man :,
and officer for officer.
Subsequently he was directed to exclange :
first those who had been longest confined, !:
and to waive for the time consideration Of .
the question OF parole, and the excess Of !;
rebel prfsoncrs In our hands, lie vas allowed
also to exchange colored men In civil cm- :
ploymcnts for men In civil employment cap !
turcd by our forces.
On lic a5th Of December Gen. Butler sent
forward by Assistant Commissioner Mumford
502 prisoners from Point Lookout asking IN
exchange for similar number, and leaving
in obc.ance n1l existing differences,
one4s @ IN ons hands were well cared
for, and suggestions lookiug to M immediate
exchange Of con(alcscent or disabled prison.
In communication of the eamc date he
Sanitary Commission, confined in Castle
Thunder, whereabouts Of It Mason md pri-
yatc John Woolam Of Ohio reg giments, and
inquiries into theprpposition concerning the
cases Of tic officers and crew Of the steamers
Emily and Aaron captured By the rebels Last
May.
Commissioner Ou1d reiteeates, In note to
Major Milford, q willingness to exchange MI
prisoners, the excess on either side to be on
parole. lie says this is the provision Of the
cartel and i've ca! accept nothing less IN
less this is the distinct understanding, no
equivalent will be delivered to you for any
confederate officers and soldiers whom you
may hereafter bring to City Point.
In the hope tllnt snch is the understand.
ing, hare directed that greater number
than tie total Of your delivery fhall be sent
In another communication Gen. Hitchcock
is reminded that, By the Presidential pro-
clamatiop, Gen. Butler is under ban Of out
-,oresciibe what agents the United States shall
employ, sclfrcspect requires that the Con-
fcderate Government refuse to treat with .
person 50 obnoxious, and that Gen. Butler s
sgcncy cannot therefore be recognized, or his
person protected By flag Of truce.
Gen. Butler returned the note and said, In
reply, tl,nt no right Of declaration Of outlaw.
RI 6y those authorities Of any officer or sol.
dicr Of the United States can be admitted or
Tor moment regarded by the Government OF
The United States, as 1t certainly will not be
by the persons upon whom such tntimida,
tllat unless Ills Aag Of truce is respected all
further communication BY flag OF truce be.
tween those authorities and ours must cease.
On the 1ath Of January Gen. Butler writes
egain, asking for an exchange Of the lists oi
prisoners and of deaths, and proposing max
ing up of monthly lists
Commissioner 6uld declares exchanged all
prisoners heretofore held by the Union au
tho1ites, whether officers, soldiers or civil
iauB, received ut City Point before January 1
and oil officers aud men of the Vicksbure
capture who reported fer duty at Enterprise;
officers and men of the Vicksburg capture
belonging to the 1st Tennessee Artillery
cap11vcs OF the 10Th Massachusetts and Cap
tain Read OF the Sd Ohio Vols