Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-22
correspondence Between Major General
Foster and Sam Jones.

Correspondence Between Major General
Foster and Sam Jones
hEADouARTERs DEPT. sovTH CARoLtNAl
GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
CHARLESTON, s. C., June 10 1854
SESRRAL. Five generals and forty-lye field
officers Of the United States army, all Of them
prisoners Of war, have been sent TO this city
Tor safe keeping. They have been turned over
70 brig. Gen. Ripley, commanding the first
| military district Of this department, who will
see that they are provided with commodious
Quarters In part Of the city occupied by non
combatants, the majority OF whom are women
and children.
Ills proper, however, that should inform
you that 1t Is part Of the city which has been
Tor many months exposed day and night TO the
| hre OF your guns.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
SAN. JoNRs, Maj. Gen, commanding.
MAJOR Gen. j. @. FOSTER, commanding United
states forces on coast Of South Carolina, @. s.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TUR SorTu.)
-, HILTON HEAD, s C., Juue iB 1851.
Major GeHcrol Sam yose', commanding Con fcgerafe
Ioreti Department Of South Carolina, Georgia, and
GENERAL; have to acknowledge the receipt.
this day, Of your communication of the 18Th
| instant, informing me that FIVE Generals and
| iorty-hve field officers of the United States
army, prisoners OF war, have been turned over
by you to Brigadier Gen Ripley, with instruc-
tlons TO see that they are provided with quar-
| tiers In part of the city occupied by nou.com-
batants, the majority OF which latter, you state,
are women and children. You add, that you
deem II proper to inform me that II Is a part of
the city which has been for many months ex-
posed TO the fire of our guns.
Many months since, Mai. Gen. Gilmore, u.
3. A., notified Gen. Beauregard, then com.
manding at Charleston, that the city would be
bombarded. This notice was given that nom
combatants might be removed, and thus women
and children be spared from harm. Gen.
beaufegard, In communication 10 Gen. Gill
more, dated August ~, 1868, informed him
that the non combatant population of Charles
ton would DO removed with all possible &C
leriLy.
That women and children have been since
retained by you In part of the city which
mas been Tor many months exposed to FIRE is
a matter decided by your own sense of hu-
manity.
must, however, protest against your action
In thus placing defenceess prisoners of war in
a position exposed to constant bOmbardment.
IL is an lndetensible actof cruelty, and can be
designed only TO prevent the continuance of
our fire upon Charleston.
That city Is depot for military supplies. Il |
contains notmerely arsenals, but also foundries |
and factories for the manufacture of munitions
OF war. In Its ship yards several armed IRON
clads have been already completed, while
others are still upon the stocks in the course of
construction. Its whArves and the banks of
the river on both sides of the city are lined
with batteries. To destroy these means of
continuing tho war is, therefore, our object
and duty.
You seek to aefeat this effort, not by means
known to honorable warfare, but by placing
unarmed and helpless prisoners under fire.
have forwarded your communication TO the
President, with the request that he will place
In my custody an equal number of prisoners,
OF like grades, to be kept by me in positions
exposed to the fire of your guns, SO long as
you continue the course stated in your com
municaLion.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
7 n po,uA