The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-21

Iateo. In aool,10n, the world have had truthful
accounts OF the tieatment OF prisoners on both
sides bv officers OF character, aud thus much OF
mat mtsrepresent alton which has flooded the
country would never have been poured forth.
Inc lnry'oox 10 toe case of Wirz would have
mao dl1ereOt witnesses, with a different story.
IL VIII be borne in mind that nearly all of tue
suffering endured bv Federal prisoners happened
after January, 1864. The acceptance OF the
propf sitlOu made bV M, on behalf OF the Con-
tedelate Government, would not ouly have fur
nishtd TO TIE sick rIedi ines and physicians,
but to the well an abundance OF food and cloth
ing from the ample stores OF the Un1ed states,
The good faith of the Con Moderate Government
in making this offer cannot be successfully
questioned, for food and clothitg (withOut the
sureeoDs) were sent in 1865 and we're allowed
to be distributed by Federal officers to Federal
prisoners.
Why could not the more humane proposal of
January, 1864, have been accepted?
III.
When it was ascertaine that exchanges could
not be maze either on the basis OF tue cartel,
or officer for officer and man for man, i was
instructed by the Con ederate authorities to
cfer to the Unied States Government their
sick and wounded, without requiring any
equivalents. Accordingly, in the summer of
1894, / did offer 10 deliver from ten to dtteen
thousand of the sick and wounded at the mouth
OF the Savannah river, without requiring any
equivalents, assuring at the same time the
agent Of the UniteI States, General Multord
that if the number for which he might send
transT or,s could not readily be made up from
SICK and wo1 ndcd, | would supply the difference
with well men. Although this Offer was made
in the summer of 1864, transportation was not
sent TO the Savannah river until about the
middle or last of November, and Nthen /
delivered as mauv prisoners as could-be
TRANSPORTED some thirteen thousand in nunbei,~
amongst whom were more than five thousand
well men.
More than once I urged the mortality at
Ander, onville as a reason for haste ou the part
OF the United S'a'es authorities. | know, per-
sonallv, that IL was the purpoS of the Confede.
a n n itc nri
all the sick and wounded, and to continue to do
the same, from time 10 time, without requiring
any equivalents for them. 1t was because the
SICK and wounded at points distant from Georgia
could not be brought to Savannah within q
reasonable time that the five thousand well men
were substituted.
Althoueh the terms of my offer did not re-
quire the Federal authorities to deliver any for
the Ten or 6f cen thousand which promised,
yet some tb1ee tn ousand sick and wounded we're
delivered by them at the month OF tie savannah
! yer. call upou every Federal and Confederate
officer and man who saw the cargo of LIVING
death, and who is familiar with the character of
the deliveries made by the Confederate authori
ties TO bear wines that none such was ever
made by the latter, even when the very sick and
desperately wounded were alone requested.
For, on two occasions at lPast, such we're spe-
Cialy asked for, and particular request was
made for those who were desperately sick
that it would be doubtful whe'h her they would
survive removal a few miles down James river.
Accordingly. the hospitals were searched tor the
were taken TO ANNAPOLIS, and there photo
graphed as specimen prisoners. The photographs
at Annapolis were terrible, indeed; but the
misery they portrayed was surpassed at
Savannah.
The original rolls showed that some thirty
five hundred had started from Northern prisons,
and that oe ath had reduc the number during
the transit to about three thousand. The NOR
tally AMONGST those who we're delivered alive
during the following three months was equally
fri ht ul.
But why was there this deIav between the
summer and November in sending transporta-
tiou for sick aud wounded, for whom no equiva.
Tents were asked? Were Union prisoners made
to suffer in order to aid the photographs lin
firing the popular heart of the North ~
In the summer of 1864, In consequence of GER
tain information communicated to Inc by the
Surleon General Of the Confederate States as to
the deficiency of medicines, l offered to make
purchases of medicines from the United States
authorities, to be used exclusively for the relief
OF Federal prisoners. | offered TO pay gold
| cotton, or tobacco for them, and even two or
| three prices, il required. At the same time
| gave assurances that the medicines would be
used exclusively in the treatment OF Federal
| prisoners. and moreover agreed, on behalf OF
the Confederate States if 1t was insisted on that
| such medicines might be brought into the Con.
| fe6erate lines by the United States surgeons, aud
| dispensed by them. To this offer never received
any reply. Incredible as this appears, it Is
| strictly true
| General John E. Muliord is personally cogni-
| Zant of the truth OF most, II not all the facts
which have narrated. He was c)nnected with
| the cartel from ITS date until the close of the
war; During a poruon of the time he was
Assistant Agent of Exchange on the part OF the
| United States. 1 always found him to be an
honorable and truthful gentleman. While he
| discharged his duties with great hdelity to his
| cwn Government, he was kind, and i might
| almost say, tender to Confederate prisoners.
| With that portion of the correspondence with
| which bis name Is connected, he Is familiar.
| He Is equally so with the delivery made a.
Savannah, and Its attending circumstances, and
| with lhe offer made MS to the purchase OF med
| icnts for the Federal sick and wounded.
| appeal to him for the truth OF what | have
| written. There are other Federal corIo borationS
| TO portions OF my 8 atements. They are found
in The report of Major General b. F. Butler to
the COMMITTEE on the Conduct of the War;
conferences with General Butler at Fortress
| Monroe in relation to the difficulties attending
| the CXchange OF prisoners, and we reached wnat
we both thought tolerably satisfactory basis,
The day that / lett there General Grant
arrived. General Butler says he communicated
to him the state OF the ne6 Citations and ''mOsi
emphatic verbal directions we're received from
| which another able bodied man should be ex-
| chaDged until further orders from him." and
| that on ApTlI 30 1864, he received telegram
| from General Grant, "tO receive the sick anC
| wounded the Confederate authorities may SEND
| you, but send no more in exchange" Unles:
| my recollection fails me, General Butler also
iu an address to his constituents, substantially
| declared that he was directed in his manage
| ment of the question OF exchange with the Con
| iederate authorities, TO put the matter ohen
! slVely, for the purpose Of preventing an eX
| chance.