The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-09-09
lions were treated with q studied and sirnifi

gave rise to II. Up 70 the battle OF Gettys.
burg, we had majority of prisoners, and
continued, notwithstanding that excess, to-
send them off as the Federals would furnish
/ the tables were turned, and then the Federals
refused to make the deliveries required by
the cartel and such as we, under similar
circumstances, had been making for nearly
q year. Every effort was made by us to IN
duce the enemy to resume deliveries under
the cartel, but without avail. No plea OF
| honour, Justice, or humanity could affect the
Federal authorities. They had the advant-
age in the number of prisoners and they re-
solved at all costs, no matter what lhlulies
and cruelties were necessary to maintain
their policy, that no equitable e1chans
6 should be made. ,,erfactlv
In January, 1864, 1t became ;sanars on
manifest that the large bulk OF prisono.e ="
,hahhesS su" .ronId rema;n in captivity for
po'n 49, and weary months, II not the
ouIaeo ns ~ the federals the privilege of
s,-n;sb;ne surgeons selected by themselves
fr their soldiers in our hands. These sur
icons were not only to look after the health
| Of the men in their charge, but their comfort.
| The proposition also fully implies that these
Federal surgeons should also control the
sanitary regulations Of the prisons to which
| they should be sent. Moreover they were to
| act as commissaries for the prisoners, to see
to the just reception and distribution of such
supplies of every kind that might be contri-
buted by their government or friends. The
| most noteworthy offer, however, was the last
one, which proposed that these surgeons
"should have full liberty, at any and all
times, through the agents of exchange, to
make reports not only of their own acts, but
! of any matters relating to the welfare of the
| prisoners" The Confederate authorities
| evidently were not afraid for the manage
ment of its prisons to be examined and criti-
| eised even by Its enemies for we are pre-
pared to declare on the best possible author
| ity, that the same propositions were renewed
directly to General Grant himself, one year
after, on the 9th of January, 1865, and
again silently rejected.
Aye, truth is mighty, and it is beginning
to prevail in this matter. Those who reject
ed Judge Guilds letter, and all those who
were accompGces in the nefarious transac-
ton are henceforth gibbeted to perpetual
shame. Lincoln, Stanton, Grant, Hitch
f cock-they, and those who acted with them
under guilty knowledge of the terms pro-
posed by the Confederate agent of exchange
they are the culp rits who are not only re-
sponsible for the sufferings of our men in
|
their own men in Southern prisons.
Seeing this to be the case, and prompted
by noble desire to do everything to allevi
=, ate the hardships of their lingering confine-
ment, Judge Ould wrote the following letter
E to General E. A. Hitchcock, then Commits
: sioner of Exchange at Washington, which
. on or about the day of its date, was deliver
=, ed to the Federal authorities
1 CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA
WAR DEPARTMENT,
o RICHMOND, VA, January "a, 1864.
''Mojor General E. A. Hitchcock, Agent OF Er-
+ change:
s. "Sir-In view of the present difficulties attend
in the exchange and release ofprisoners, pro
pose that all such either side shall be attended
by proper number of their own surgeons, who
under rules to be established. sh all be permitted
| to take charge of their health and comfort
also propose that these surgeons shall act
missaries, with power to receive and distribute such
: contributions of money, food, clothing and med
. | cines may be forwarded for the relief of the
= prisoners. further propose that these surgeons
shall be selected by their own government, anC
| that they shall have full liberty at any and al
times, through the Agents of Exchange, to maxi
, | reports not only of their acts, but of any
matters relating to the welfare of the prisoners
. | Respectfully,
"'Your obedient servant,
"ROBERT GUILD,
0 "Agent of Exchange"
B To this communication, no reply of an,
l., kind was ever made. What admirable ant
desirable results would have flowed from tn
|, adoption of these humane suggestions
> Why were they not acceded to? Can an!
!, other reason be given than that it was tn
i purpose of the Federal Administration Il
: trade on the real or supposed miseries ofth
prisoners, and with such material to infam'
;. the war feeling of the North? The propo
|, sitions made here by Judge Ould are exceed
; ingly remarkable in view of all the obloqu,
. poured upon the Confederate authorities 70
,r their supposed Indifference to the health ant
;: comfort of their prisoners.
D. We have vet another count to our indict
ment that will make still more manifest thu
unworthy motives which prompted the mul
derous silence in regard to Judge Ould'
II offers. 1t will be recolected that durin
h the war, the whole north was thrown int
a a perfect phrensy by certain pictures of re
turned Federal prisoners They were reF
resented in the most dreadfully emaciate
b condition possible, and congress and tn
m whole northern press cried to the people, bt
hold how our sons are treated by those brr
IL tai Southerners There is secret histor
D, about these pictures, and the time has al
70 rived for it to be divulged.
10 We have undoubted authority for wha
we here recount. just before the prisoner
% referred to above were returned to the Fec
erals, the Agent of Exchange for the Unite
e- States made special and urgent applicatio
,e. to our Agent for the return of the E07s
q cases of sick prisoners in our hands. 'E7
en-" said the Federal Agent, ''in case
- where yonr Surgeons think the men too i
to be moved and not strong enough to SUI
of vive the trip, if they express desire t
- come. let them come" Regular exchange
e being intermitted, our Agent took couns,
- of his well known humanity and agreed t
.ir send the uorst cases of their prisoners, pr
"a provided that they would not be accepte
~ or regarded as representatives of the ayerag
condition of the Federal prisoners in tt
ee South, and used as a means to infiame tt
ar Northern sentiment against US. This cond
of ton was sacredly pleged,
u On this understanding Judge Ould pr
pared barge especially adapted to the CO..
OF dition of the sick, and, with the aid of Il
I'D Ambulance Committee. carefully, tender
- and humanely delivered them into the hant
Of their friends. The Federal vessel that r
ceived them Immediately made all haste
X; Annapolis, where, instead of being treate
as such invalids should have been-as tt
pr roa'st cases on our hands--they were mao
a public spectacle, and a corps of pilot
graphlck ar lists were Immediately deSpatc
'er ed to take portraits ofthem. Congress sci
fh down a committee tn 900 thor opd To rapo