, 1865-08-26
gblcago Qribnne.
SATURDAY, AUGUST %, 1866.
ThE EXCHANGE OF PRISON.
ERS.
Letter from Genern1 Hitchcock.

Letter from General Hitchcock
Terms of the Original Carte1-IIoxv an,
| on What Pretext II yERA Eroken by III
Rebclk-The 1nnumRn Robbery OF Gu
Prfsoner-Dsfc1iceo OF the Secretary O
| War.
WASHINGTON cnE, D. c., Aug. 81, 1866.
To Tie Editor Of The Chronicle:
SrR-On the second pegge Of your issue
observe en- nrticle in Reference TO what i
called stnew statement published in III.
New York Tribune, BY Nr, Julius -Hcpr
Browne, from which infer that bIr. Browne
takes exception to the action Of the SecretarJ
Of War, With respect to The exchauce OF pris
oncfs Of Wa-, IN That the Secretary directed
his efforts on the subject Of exchange on fl,c
t0sis that OHr colored troops IN the Lands o
tie rebels should be exchanged on pr1uciples
| applicable to the white troops OF the Untou
army who might have fallen into the hands oj
| the enemy
have not seen the publications of Mr..
Browne On this subject, nor those Of ~.
Richardson, If he hos published anything, rs
understand he has, OF similar character: and
IN Inc II" Toran propose to cay u.iuh Il
understood that I felt and still feel great sym.
laihy 1or those gentlemen, because OF their
10 disposition 10 enter into controversy
with either of them; but feel called upon
by scnsc Of duty to explain few points In
connection with the business of exchange, by
which the pnblic may the better understand
various references to It which, from time to
time, appear IN the public prints.
At On early period in the rebellion, regu-
lar cartel fos the exchange Of prisoners was
agreed upon, based upon q full recognition OF
bellicerent rights in the South, tie agree
ment, signed By Gen. Dix and Gen. Hill for
The respective powers Of war, being duly an
= S1N vi 1,.,-
60 long rs the cartel tora4hc exchange Of
prisoners was respected In The South It was
faithfully observed By the Government, and
there Is no reason to doubt Its faithful execu-
1icn by the Government until the end VI the
war, unless properly revoked BY competent
authority, the rebel authorities had not
most distinctly violated its tc!7ns, under cir
cunstanccs indeed Of gTeat asgravation,
The first Indication on the part of the reb-
els Of q disposition 10 disregard the cartel be-
came public through message Of Jefferson
Davis to the rebel Congress, In which he dis
tinctly informed that body that Union OIL
ccrs who might bc captured while serving
to the State authorities within the States
where they might be captured, 10 be dealt
with By those State authorities under State
laws providing for the punishment OF the
crime Of melting insurTcction among the
Slaves.
~ ~ It'll luE lUtttHNt JUL AElSIIGu 10 UtCUWG
known to the President, he saW at once the
necessity Of meeting It, md gayt Instructions
to retain such rebel officers Us might I've cap
tuled, in order 10 be iu position 10 check the
rebel Government and restrain II from the ex-
ecution Of its ayowed purpose in violation Of
tho cartel.
This proceeding, Initiated By the rebel Coy
cr1nnut III violation Of the cartel. Unlimited
in that cessation Of exchanges which, as the
history of the matter shows, became unaro.d-
able, and which, with ali lis awful conse-
Iucnces, was entirely due to the rebel Gov
eIIMent-
Co;nciacn: with the proceedings with re.
gard 10 tie EXCHANGE Of prisoners IF war, the
rcEcls 1naue1uated a System Of scizing lmof-
Tending citizens Of the United States, and
sukjLe1irg them to Hcltreatnent in various
wnys, in order to effect q particular object,
which became apparent when demand was
made for their re;ease: For this purpose
were carried into captivity by Gcu. Lee whea
he penetrated into that State in 1865.
Wien demand was made Tor the release OF
This class Of prisoners, it was met hy most
positive declaration that no citizen prisoner
in the rebel hands should be released, 1,nless
the Government would enter into an anrec-
mcrt with the rebel authorities not to arrest
arJ one on account of his opinions, or on &C.
count Of Ills sympathy with the rebel cause
and this declaration was repeated again and
main by the rebel authorities, whenever the
Government demnnded the release or exchange
Of said citizen prisoners, among whom were
Messrs. Browne md Richardson, against whom
their connection with the New York Tribune.
1t will require but the slightest glance at
THIS subject to convince any one Of The utter
iMpossiblltty of acGIicscing in the demand Of
the rebel authorities, as prerequisite 10 the
release Of the citizens they thus held in bon
Cnited States would have been virtual ac-
knowledgment Of The independence of the
rebel government, and would have Eoreclosed
all proceedings Of the United States against
nll persons Whomsoeyer engaged In the crime
OF treason and rebellion. i was absolutely
South on that point and this is the reason
why McksrE. Browne and Richardson, among
others, were beyond the reach of the Govern.
mcnt, except through The power Of its ar
mics, which finally solved the entire question
BY putting an end TO the rebellion itself
AT the commencement Of the cessation OF
exchanges, the rebels held few prisoners Of
war over and above the number OF rebels held
by the Government but the capture OF
NtckshurE md Port Hudson threw the bal
ante largely the other way, and as the prison
crs captured by Gen. Grant and Gen. Banks
were leit in the South, on parole, the rebel au-
1lorities determined to make use Of them,
not merely in violation Of the cartel, hut In
open contempt Of the laws Of war. They first
ordered that body Of men IL be assembled
tencc OF facilitating measures for their sup
plies, but in reality with the distinct purpose,
rs We arc now compelled to believe, Of throw
Ing thin into the rebel rnuks to meet the an
ticipated conflict, which, it was seen, wasnear
al hand IN East Tennessee, and which accord
CLickamauga und Chattanooga; in Which
battles the captured prisoners parolel in the
South by Generals Grant and Banks took part,
without having been duly exchanged, nj |
though tie rebel authorities made MI a 1,arte
declaration Of exchange in their fayor with |
ed aeainst by the United States
1t must be understood that the rebels might |
Mt my time hare resumed the system or ex- |
changes agreed upon in the cartel by reccding |
from tie assumed right OF bringing before |
their State authorities Union officers captur. |
ed while serving with colored troops, and |
agreeing to the exchange Of the colored |
troops themselves but, although they never
or put in force the threat against |
officers, they would never acknowledge the |
right OF colored troops to treatment due to 1
prisoners Of WIZ; and, as tue Government of
lhe United States had exercised the right of !
employing col0red troops as part of the 4
force against the rebels, their claim to such
protection MS tho government could give was
cne which did not admit Of discussion.
When the rebels discovered that the suspen-
sion Of hostilities was operating against them,
they rcsortcd TO the horrible e3pelient of sub
iecling the prisoners they held to starvation
md exposure to the elements, without the
protection Of quarters or tents, afler first rob-
bIDg them Of their money and most OF their
clothing, and without regard to seasons or
nclemencies, in the hope Of forcing the Gov
,1nmcnt into system Of exchanges which
:hould hnye the effect not only Of leaving in
Acir hands all OF the colurel prisoners they
had taken, but Of throwing into their ranks
he entire body Of prisoners held by the Fed
,ra1 power, Then greatly In excess over the
prisoners held by the rebels. This fact Is
rovcd by the declarations Of the Richmond
papers, at the time when few exchanges
we're made, that their agent, Col. Ould, had
srs equivalent to those received, but only |
number, the frtio being deter
nintd by Col. Ould in view Of the number Of
prisoners held in The South against those
leld In the NoHh-1he claim to bold In rc-
serve the colored prisoners in the SJuth hav-
ny never been abandoned. This fact Yas !
'uriher established by the official records
If the Commfssary General OF Prisoners, by
which II appeared That, after sending seycraI
loat loads ot exchanged prisoners each Wny,
le rebels were constantly FILLING In debt.
Upon observing this fact, nnd noticing the
,ublfcation III Richmond, called upon the
;ommissars General OF Prisoners for a tabu-
ar statement Of the result and tic statement
hoNcd I'M Indebtedness in our favor Of over
I've hundred men which stntement was hand
i 10 the Secretary Of War, who thcreupon
li1cctcl M order 10 Gen. Grant to assume the
nitro direction Of the matter Of exchanges,
sith authority to give such, orders rs he might
hiNk proper on the subject, Gen. Grant Mt |