The New York herald., 1865-02-21
/. !. !. Z. g 9 r A N T.
80 ~ tf lrf
The Exchange Of Prisoners on
......,s. the James River.
+, t,rs- i,, ssafs f>>~~~~~-~>~o-~---~r~-~- hs'
Their Reports Of What They
saa Experienced.
a.....h c,..,,,,~S.c,,,-,-~,..,o>., e.9i e.a 7.
Arrangements for a General Exchange In tho
Tfans-Mississippi Department,
.srs &C., $ s'ls &c., SC. s.iu

Mr. .. CadwaIIadsr's Despateh. 4


pErAns o. raE ExCHASGs o. rlIsoNsRs. feofe
. In or my former dispatches mentioned that
Lieutenant Colonel Auford had despatched his nag Of
truce boat to Annapolis with load OF exchanged Union
prisoners and had remained behind person arrangs
the details OF further exchanges with the rebel Coms
soner Of Exchange, Judge Robert Ould These gentle
mcn have had frequent conferences At Akens Landing
and elsewhere, and have defnvely settled many minor
deraions relating 70 future exchanges Lieutenant
Colonel Milford was instructed by Lieutenant Gen-
oral Grant to say to Judge ould that would ex.
change men, and deliver them at any accessible
point, for oil the Union prisoners held by the
rebels in the TransMississppi Department, and
that would receive these NJ any point
Red River a. any. time convenient TO the rebel
hortiea informed that this has been agreed to by
Judge Oud and friends OF prisoners who have long Ian
quished in Texan and Louisiana prisons with vague
and indefinite expectations Of exchange parole es~
cape, may now felictate themselves upon speedily
meeting them again under the auspcOns protection Of
the Union flag
The exchanging OF prisoners being carried
rapidly that boat wholly inadequate TO the SER
vice Of transporting them to Annapolis The George
Leary was ordered to join the New York, under
Lieutenant Colonel Muford, and tho vessels depart
cd loaded, stated two days ago. The press 30
great however, that found necessary TO furnish
others for temporary service, and among them tho
port and despatch boat The latter yesterday received
hundred and sixty Eve sick and convaescent prison
ors taken from tho Richmond prisons, that were 10
much condition than majority OF those recently
received from their hands They ~cte mostly wounded
the and through tho fall and winter large
proportion OF them Of ampuiation, and
bury readily other They have been In hog
pal at Petersburg and Richmond until the present time
and were sent 70 us without med al oncef in attend
to dress their wounds minister 10 their es
ties The matter pressing that the boat anchored
on City Point last night on her way TO annapolis and
lay 70 until medical assistance could be obtained. Sur
geons Brenneman and Miner OF the Fourth and Eleventh
United States Infantry volunteered their services and
dressed over fifty wounded and amputAted limbs during
WHAT rnx EXCHANGED nxx assoRr. sa
Many items OF information obtaRed 10 conversa-
on with the exchanged which 70 establish the
fact that the confcdcracy Is indeed "on its last legs and
that Is with extreme difficulty that auhorit
keep the army together feed the the people in
sdo q tho military pos or provide the and
plies for tho sick and wounded prisoners they also uni
vesaly concurn their of rebel rapacity TO-
subsequent mposi,ions and esiortions 70 which ali are
subjected who fall into their hands at every stage Of
their mprsonment In consersing with scores
| Of them not found who did not
testify TO being robbed Of whatcyer valuables
observed to be in his possession within lew minutes Of
his capture Not content with taking Watches Jewery
and such articles were first disco erabIe In hasy
examination they were generally compelled to exchange
part, not all or their clothing for the caston
descrpt habi mens Of the rasamuns into whose hands
| they CHANGED 10 fall.
l.
consecute days after his capture with only one pint 0f
| -four per day 10 subsst upon. Another was marched
eight days with moth n2 but one fourth OF pound OF
| picked pork Of inferior quality, per day They were
gen rally well fcd and well treated In the Petersburg
able articles OF diet for sick aud wounded In
this particular they had nothing complain of and cheer
fully bore testimony to the fact But reaching Rich
mond their real perpexes and snerngs began. There
they examined by agent OF the rebel government
named Turner and deprived OF all money and yalrables
that they might Eaye hitherto secrcted about their
The rebels manifest great zeal In nfocing the
law forbddng the passage of ''ereenbacksr as money
far IL applies to captured prisoners their hands
To prevent Ia racon OF this pous bit Of legislation
and To the slightest temptation to the same
they kindly but very cectuaiy relieve prisoners OF
whatever surplus Of that kind they chance have
hand II Is true they go through the farce Of count
Ing the money, taking the nane rank and regiment q
| tho individual thus robbed, and bnndiy promise
4 TO keep IL safe Tor him rntl his
| change. Few recorded and well authenticated instances
exist in the worlds history OF robber voluntarily
surrenderng his booty Mono have occurred In the
brief and nfu existence OF the confcderacy Robbery
IL, and robbery let IL be called. Is character is not
changed by The magnanmous oaerto exchange I'VE dol
lars in rebel currency for In 'sgrccnbacks should
ths prisoner pref this 70 the certainty of osing all
The hospital ration issued three times day sted
OF piece Of heavy sodden oornbrcad and hlf
inch square and piece Of bacon fst half thai Or
dnary prisoners received the same sized raon but twice
day The quantity Of focd was barely sufficient to sas
| tan lifc and not near enough TO satisfy tue appc
| tite OF healthy men. Nor was Il ever increased
| or varied. The most ernacIated and reduced
patient was compelled to eat his plc.o Of
Of any Kind whatever Ven suffering wi,h chron. dlar
rhtra dysentery typhoid fever died by for
want Of lees Irritating quality or food Those wbo bad
subm tied 10 capital ampuaiios aud needed nourrhing
and stimulating food, sank under such commissariat
or all prisoners who fell into rebel hands badly wounded
is not too much to say that none bat such has In
herited cast. ron constitutions The delay
in tho treatment at first, the neglect BY rebel Surgeons
Afterwards and the lack OF proper medical and commits
sary stores throughout erect almost insuperabe barriers
W ihcir recovery
II ws 40 unsuaI occurrence for tho prisoners 70 pick
up cast away bone and garbage in their endeavors 10
ind thing fruIn which nitrmcnt might be eK-
tracted Men would sl>im the swl barrels with the
fingers TO extract stray beans cabbage leaves takc
bones OF the grolld and OF srttoous 10 pick them
over aan, aud lgt with NANCY pig or two that eked
out miserable and precarious eAscnces nthe prison
enclosurcs for the possession OF such garbage these
famine stricken precincts created. These may be
thought horrible and fabulous relations, but the tcs,i
mony is too direct and uDmstakable 20 hang doubt
upon If any further proof needed than the
tons OF the who endured these suierngs and star
ya.ions, II abundany Afforded IN their conduct and
ri,sn our lines s story Of their prvsons ana
wrongs is true too pue y
friends reached any Of these prisoners IN ehmond
hospitals Blankets and bouss received occasion.
ally but overpowerng demand for food compelled
article for whae, could be obtained for IT, blanket
sould only be taken ., forty dollars though worth much
tsyRore cording 20 the present quotation Of rbel
money; and snail biscuit cost ono dollar Flour com
nands thousand four hundred dollars per barrel in
Richmond Mono OF these mou had tasted coffee since
their imprisonment
any of the prisoners exprssssd hcmscr., Exceed
ngly gaeiu 70 'btiain w. L. Helms, VINO Nist"u ''n
regularly and did all In his power alleviate their ply.
steal suntrings well minister 70 their spiritual
wants In hs preaching, praying aud eShorting he In.
varaby omitted all political siusons alulned 10 oncri
our mon and seemed really intent on dscharging hls
whole duty M faithful preacher OF 'thc Word" II
nothing unusual for him 20 procure supplies Of to-
bacco al expense 10 himself for gratu tous disir
button among the pr and all hs dealings with
mon marked him faithful pastor and humane Christian
Gentleman. Not of the number but spoke OF him In
the highest terms and With feeling akin 70 vcnerson
II s pleasant TO Be able 10 chronicle euch naalccs of
alalnf fo10 oyfN ~,
when they have rested from their abors Their works do
follow themn