The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-08-22
Gen. Buffers Report.

Gen. Buffers report to tne Com.
mittec OF Congress in regard to the
exchange Of prisoners during the
war is document OF unusual inter
est. We find that inlSG3 the Rebels
held $4,000 OF our men who were
dying OF cold and starvation, while
26,OO0 Rebels held by the U. S.
whore well taken care Of Gen
Butler and the Secretary of War
proposed 10 ire " the Rebel officers
in our hands precisely as our men
were treated in Libby, but this plan
was abandoned after consultation
with General Grant. Gen. Butler,
in December, was appointed Com
missioner of Exchange, and found
the Confederate generals anxious
10 exchange, man for man, but re
fused to treat with Con. Butler, on
the ground TINT he commanded
negro troops. Notification to that ef-
feet was sent to our Government,
which refused, of course TO admit the
right Of tho Confederate authorities
to outlaw our officers. Exchanges
continued till March 1861, when
Gen. Butler had an intcrvicw with
Mr. Ould, which convinced him that
retaliation would compel the Rob
els to abandon their refusal 10
exchange colored soldiers. The
Government, informed of these facts
rcferrd the rnattcr to Gen. Grant,
who, in April, directed Gen. But
Ter to decline, until otherwise or
dered, all further negotiations, and
shortly after Yards instructed HIM
to consider the determination of
the Rebels to mako n distinction
between white and black prisoners
as refusal on their part to agree
to further exchange. Gen. Butler
was instructed to receive all the
sick and wounded the Rebels would
give up, but send no more in ex-
change. In August the Rebels
offered to renew the exchange, man
for man; Con. Grant then telc.
graphed the following important
order. 1T is hard on our mon
held in Southern prisons not to ex.
change them, but it is humanity to
those left in the ranks to fight our
battles, Every man released on pa.
role or otherwise becomes an active
soldier against us at once, either di.
rcctly or indilcctly. If we commence
a system Of ferchange which liberatcs
all prisoners taken, we will have to
fight on until tho whole South is
cxterminatcd. II we hold those
caught, they amount to no moro
than lead men. At this particular
time, to release all Rebel prisoners
North would insure Shcrman's de-
feat, and wo'd compromise our safety
here" In the meanwhile, General
Butler, learning that colored prs.
oncrs were employed us laborers by
the Rebels, notified their Commits.
sioner that an equal or greater
number of their men should be so
employed in our service, and this
action was approved by Gen. Grant,
In October, 1861, Gen. Butler dir.
roclod Col, Mdliord to proceed to
Savannah with feet to carry the
Rebel sick, and bring back our
own--an exchange of about 10000
Of our men. In November, Col.
Multord informed Gen. Butlcr that
ho was detained at Fortress Mon.
roc by the want of transportation,
and that the sutferings -four men
at.Savannah were ieuriully increas-
cd by the dolay. Cen Bullor in
reply ordered him to start at once,
to yield to no subordinate inter.
icrence-to yield to nothing but
armed force, and not to that il he
could meet it. These are the main
facts which the report presents in
regard to the responsibility Of the
failure TO exchange prisoners,