The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-08-01
A Letter to Horace Greeley.


The Prescott Journal says Horace
Greeley, in his examination before the
Congressional Commute, few days since
said that if Jefferson Davis vas guilty of
completely, insthe crime of the assassina-
ton OF President Lincoln, or of starving
our soldiers in Southern prisons. he hoped
he would be punished. bit he had no
hno,cfedge Of his guih IN either particular
Now very few intelligent men have any
doubt but that Jefferson Davis and the
Confederate Government were aware of
a plan to assassinate or abduct President
Lincoln and Others, and that this plan
received their sanction, and that they
furnished the assassins with funds.
For the latter crime of starving prison
ers, Mr.. Greeley hmeao from the testimony
OF at least one true man, that Jefferson
Davis was guilty. We are permitted to
publish copy of the following private
letter. written to Mr. Greeley by one of
the hravest and most honored officers of
whose deeds Wisconsin and the Iron
Brigade are justly proud 1t will be
seen that the letter was written before
Mr., Greeley committed the criminal folly
OF aiding in the actual release Of Jeffer-
son Davis. What the gallant General
would write to him now, would probably
be more pointed even than the letter
which we publish:
La Crosse, WIS, April 4, 1867.
HORACE GREELEY, ESQ Dear Sir =
l trust you viii excuse this intrusion upon
your valuable time, aud respectfully ask
your serious attention TO the conteuts
hereof
Isee by the newspapers that you are
making strenuous eXertions to procure
the release OF JEFF. Davis from durance
vile, and to have him released upon his
parole or personal recognizance and de-
sire TO call your attention to a few facts
IN connection with the subject that it
seems to me you must have overlooked.
or You would not thus interest yourself
IN the tate OF the great criminal.
ANA let me say further, in explanation.
that | claim the right to be heard on this
SUBJECT; by four years service in the
army during the late rebellion. in various
grades, from private to Colonel, and by
actual participation in over twenty bat
ties, and by six months experience in
rebel prisons, claim to know OF what [
speak, And while as soldier | would
be Wiling to forgive everything that was
done by Davis as the Commander-in-
Chief OF the insurgent forces and as
civilian, to allow him to go UNPUBLISHED
Tor has treason, | am not willing that he
should go unpublished for his wanton
murder of thousands of the brave men
who we're so unfortunate as to fall into
his hands as prisoners of war. And |
do accuse Jefferson Davis of being Off
cially responsible for the cruel and inhu-
man treatment they received.
Do you doubt this? If YOU do, de-
sire to make rlain statement Of facts
that | know to be true
lst The rations furnished by the Con
tederate Government at Macon and An
Jacksonville, were insufficient to support
lie Tor any considerable length of time.
"a Thousands actually starved to death
on the ratlons furnished To sum the
whole matter up, these men, bv the
thousands, were Systematically starved
TO death. And further than this [
know that We We're repeatedly informed
by the Confederate authorities, in reply
to our Responsiveness against such treat
ment. that the matter had been laid be-
fore the Confederate Government at
Richmond, and that they refused to order
any change. [ know that our treatment
was protested against by the citizens re-
siding in the vicinity of our prison pens,
and that representations were forwarded
by them to the Rebel Chief of our situa-
ton, and that he refused to grant us any
other or different treatment
Now. In God name why are YOU so
deeply interested in his tate-a man who
irresponsible for the murdered thousands;
not in honorable warcfare, but by cow
ardly starvation of men that the fortune
of war had placed in his hands? Out
upon such philanthropy Let him stay
where he is until the country becomes so
settled that he can be legitimately tried !;
or it turned loose, let 1t be in the vicinity
Of some Of the survivors of his cruelty.
| am Respectfully,
Your obediaat Servant.
j A. KELLOGG.