Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-26
TENNESSEF WEDNESDAY, EVENING" AUGUST 26. 1868 NO 15O

Union prisoners made to suffer in order
10 aid the photographer "in firing the
popular heart Of the North p 900.
lV.
In the summer Of 1864, in consequence
of certain information com mmunicated Ia
me by the Surgeon General Of the Con-
federate States as TO the deficiency Of
medicines, offered to make purchases
Of medicines from the United States au-
thorities. TO be used exclusively for the
relief Of Federal prisoners. ! offered TO
pay gold, cotton or tobacco, and even
two or three prices, If 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 Con-
federate States, if it was insisted on, that
such medicines might be brought into
the Confederate lines by the United
States surgeons, and dispensed by them.
To this offer never received any reply.
Incredible as this appers, it is strictly
true.
v.
General John Z. Mulford is personally
cogpizant Of the truth Of most, il not all
the facts which have narrated. he was
connected with the cartel from its date
until the close of the war. During q
portion of the time he was Assistant
Agent of Exchange on the part Of the
United States. / always found him to
be an honorable and truthful gentleman.
While he discharged his duties with
great fidelity to his own government, he
was kind, and, l might almost say, tender
to Confederate prisoners. With that
portion of the correspondence With which
his name is connected, he is, Of course,
familiar. He is equally so with the
delivery made at Savannah, and its
attending circumstances, and with the
offer ! made as to the purchase of medi-
ciues for the Federal sick and wounded.
appeal to him for the truth Of what |
have written. There are other Federal
corroborations to portions of my state
ment. They are found in the report of
Msjor General B. +. Butler to the " Com
mittee on the Conduct of the War;"
About the last of March. 1864, / had
several conferences with General Butler
at Fortress Monroe 10 relstion 10 the
difficulties attending the exchange of
prisoners, and we reached what we both
thought tolerably satisfactory basis.
The day that / left there Gen. Grant
arrived. Gen. Butler says he commuui-
Gated to him the state ofthe negotiations,
and most emphatic verbal DIRECTIONS
were received from the Lieutenaut-dene-
raj not to take any steps by which an
other able-bodied man should be ex.
change until further orders from him."
and that on April 30. 1864, he received
telegram from Gen. Grant ito receive all
The sick and wounded the Confederate
authorities may send you, but send no
more in exchange" Unless my recollec-
ton fails me, den. Butler also, in an
address to his constituents, substantially
declared that he was directed in his
Of the question of exchange
with the Confederate authorities, to put
The matter Extensively, for the purpose
Of preventing an exchange.
The facts which / have stated are also
yell known to the officers connected with
the Confederate Bureau of Exchange,
AT one time thought an excellent op.
portunity was afforded of bringing some
Of them 10 the attention Of the country.
was named BY poor Wirx as q witness
IN his behalf. The summons was issued
BY Chapman, the Judge Advocate of the
military court. obeyed the summons,
and was in attendance upon the court tor
some ten days. The investigation had
aiken wide range as to the conduct of
he Confederate and Federal govern
nents in the matter of the treatment of
prisoners, and I thought the time had
,ome when I could put before the world
hese humane offers of the Confederate
and the manner in which they
lsd been treated. l so expressed myself
more than once-perhsps too publicly.
But it was vain thought Early in the
morning of the day on which l expected
O give my testimony. received a note
rom Chipman, the Judge Advocate, re-
uiring me to surrender my subpoena.
efused, as it was my protection in |
Washington. Without it the doors of |
be Old Capitol might have opened and |
losed upon me. ! engaged, however,
} appear before the court. and | did
D the same morning. l still re-
lsed to surrender my subpoena, and
lereupon the Judge Advocate in
orsed on it these words: The within
lblena is hereby revoked; the person
AIMED is discharged from further attend.
ncs." | have got the curious document
afore me now, signed with the name of
P. N. Chapman, Colonel" etc. in
nd to keep it, if | can, as the evidence
the first case in any court, of any sort,
here a witness who was summoned for
e defense was dismissed by the prose-
ltion. | FASTENED to depart, confident
at Richmond was safer place for me
an the metropolis.
Some time ago committee was ap-
,inted by the House of Representatives
investigate the treatment OF Union
'isouers in Southern prisona After the
)pointment OF the eommittee-Hon.
T. Shanks, Of Indiana, being its chair.
an-I wrote to Hon Charles A. Ed
1ge and Hon. Mr.. Mungen (the latter a
ember of the committee) some of the
cts herein detailed. Both these gen.
smen made an effort to extend the au-
ority Of the committee, so that it might
quire into the treatment of prisoners
orth as well as South especially that it
light inquire into the truth of the mat
rs which l had alleged. All these at
mpts were frustrated by the Radical
ajority, although several of the party
tied to extend the inquiry. As several
ousand dollars Of the money of the
'ople have been spent by this commit
e, will not they demand that the inves-
yation shall be thorough and impartial 2
be House of Representatives have de-
iued the inquiry; let the people take
np-