The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-31
THE EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.
Another Letter from Ex-COmmlssIOneE
Ould,

Another Letter from Ex-COmmissIOner
Ou1d.
General Robert 0uld has written the follow
ing letter to one Of the editors of the National
InteRigencer:-
R1cHMoND, July ls.--My Dear Sir:-I have
read the remarkable discussion in the House.
Mr.. EldIidge is substantially right in what he
said. ! offered early in August to deliver all
the sick and wounded prisoners we had without
requiring equivalents for them. | would have
made the offer earlier, but for the fact that some
considerable time before / had made an offer of
exchange, man for man, to which could get no
response. waited for response until early IN
August, and falling to receive one, l then
made the offer above named, at the same time
urging haste on the part of the United
States Government, as the mortality among
the Federal prisoners was very. great During
the tallI again and again urged haste, giving the
same reason. ! informed the Federal authori-
ties that if they would send transportation for
15, 900 men to the mouth Of the Savannah river
l would furnish that number of sick and
wounded, and that would fill up any deficiency
with well prisoners. | did not require a cor
responding delivery of our prisoners, though l
expressed the desire that they might be sent.
F1om early in August we were not only ready,
but anxious to make this delivery. 1t was our
urpose, as well as our offer, to continue the de-
livery OF the sick and wounded at all the depots
of prisoners, and upon the terms mentioned !;
that is, without requiring equivalents. Trans
portation was not sent until Decem Der. The
some 5000 prisoners to the mouth of the Savannah
river, and received over $4,000 in return, many
of whom were well men. The 5000 delivered
presented as melancholy spectacle as Ander-
sonville ever disclosed. Most, If not all, Of
them had been brought from Blmlra. Some
died between Elmira and Baltimore-m any be-
tween Baltimore and Savannah. / do not be-
lieve ten per cent. OF the number are alive
now. All these facts are known to Federal
officers. Rebels may lie, but yet the fact Is
fully established by other evidence that the
Federal authorities sent 5000 and received
$4,000. They would have received more If there
had been accommodation. Why was transport
alton sent to Savannah for the prisoners unless
had agreed to deliver them? Why were $4,000
delivered and only 5000 received, if insisted on
receiving equivalents? There is nothing in the
published correspondence referred to by Gene
raj Butler which, in any manner, contests any
one of the facts | have mentioned. Cen
have herein written. He is a
man of honor and courage, and do not think
will hesitate to tell the truth. think it would
be we'll for you to make an appeal to him. as 1T
has become a question of veracity. General
Butler says the proposition was made in the
fall, and that 1000 prisoners were delivered 1t
was in August, and over $4,000 were delivered.
If you will get Polard's 'Lost Cause and refer
to the chapter on exchange, there you will find
the whole question accurately stated. Every
word of the chapter is true SO far as il pre-
tends to give facts. The book was published by
subscription, by Treat u Co., of New York.
You can make public any portion Of this letter.
l defy contradiction as to any statement have
made, and challenge scrutiny. l will prove
every word by Federal testimony. Who, then,
is responsible for the suffering of Andersonville
during the period of it's most deadly mortality.
from August to January?
Yours truly, ROBERT OU1D.