New-York tribune., 1867-08-07
GEN. BUTLER'S REPORT.

Gen. Buffers report to the Committee of
Congress in regard to the exchange OF prison.
ers during the war is a document OF unusual
interest We find that in 1863 the Rebels held
$1,000 of our men who were dying of cold and
starvation, while the 10000 Rebels held by the
United States were well taken care Of Gen.
Butler and the Secretary of War pro-
posed TO treat the Rebel officers in our
hands precisely as our men were treated In
Libby, but this plan was abandoned after
consultation with Gen. Grant. Gen. Butler, III
December was appointed Commissioner OF Ex-
change, and found the Confederate generals
anxious to exchange, man for man, but that
the Confedorate Government refused to treat
with Gen. Butler, on the ground that ne
commanded negro troops. Notlhcatlon 10
that effect was sent to our Government,
which refused of course, to admit the right OF
tbe Confederate authorities TO outlaw our ofll-
GERS. Exchanges continued till March, 1864,
when Gen. Butler had an interview with MI
Ould. which convinced him that retaliation
would compel the Rebels to abandon
their refusal to exchange cOlored SOL
dicrs The Government, informed OF these
facts, referred the matter TO Gen. Grant VINO,
in April. directed Gen. Butler to decline, until
otherwise ordered, all further negotiations, ana
shortly afterward instructed him to cOnsider
the determination of the Rebels to make
n distinction between white and c0l0red
nrisoners. as a refusal on their part to
agree to further exchange. Gen. Butler was
also instructed TO receive all the sick and
wounded the Rebels would give up. but to send
no more in exchange In August the Rebels
.I. nbot Ina
Gen. Grant then telegTaphed the following I'M
portant order: at is hard on our men held III
Southern prisons not TO exchange them, but II Is
humanity to those left in the ranks TO hght
our battles. Every man released on parole or
otherwise becomes an active soldier against
Gus at once, either directly or indirectly. II
" ire commence a system Of exchange which
CELEBRATES all prisoners taken, we will have 10
fight on until the whole South IL eXterml-
mated. If we hold those caught, they
amount to no more than dead men. AZ
" this particular time, to release all Rebel
prisoners North would insure Shcrmans de
"feat, and would compromise our safety here
I'm the meanwhile, Gen. Butler learning that
colorcd prisoners were employed IA laborcrs
by the Rebels, notified their Commissioners
should be so employed in our service, and this
action was approved 10y Gen. Grant. In Octo-
her. 1864 Gen. Butler directed Col. MulfOrd 10
proceed to Savannah with fleet to carry the
Rebel sick and bring back our own-an cx-
change of about 1900 Of cur mrn'
In November, Col. Mulford informed Gen.
Bntler that he was detained at Fortress
Monroe by the want of transportation, and
that the suficrings of our men ut Savannah
were fcarfully increased by the delay. Gen.
Butler in reply ordered him to start at once,
10 yield to no subordinate intericrcnce-to
yield to nothing but armed force, and not to
that il he could meet it. These arc the main
facts which the report presents in regard to
the responsibility of the failure to exchange
prisoners, and they will certainly command no
ordinary attention.