Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-08-20
J ALEXANDRIA,.
Exchange of Prisoners during the
&. x 9t:tta $40 late War. '|' ~. - - =.

y Il
Robert Ould, esq, has published in the Ma
tional Intelligencera history ofthe negotiations
for the exchange of prisoners during the late
war, based upon official correspondence, which
ought to be in the War Department. The
authentic copies Of the correspondence and
orders are extant. The National lutelligencer
says r..5@ 3,s .4 3:5.,a y
Tt appears from this statement, sustained by
Gen. Butler and other officers connected with
the exchange of prisoners during the war, that
offers were repeatedly made. by the Confederate
authorities to exchange man tor man, and OH :
Ger for officer, at time when the Federal au.
thorities had an excess of prisoners; that alter
wards offers were made to buy and pay tor.
in gold, the medicines necessary tor the Union
prisoners at the South, and to allow them to be
brought in and administered BY their own sur
peons; and that no notice; was taken OF these
It appears, further, that the Confederate
authorities offered to send, without any ex-
change, fifteen thousand sick and wounded
Union soldiers, including all those at Ander,
sonyille, and to make up the number with We'll
men, if the Federal authorities would furnish
Transportation, but this transportation was not
furnished for nearly six months, during which
nearly all Of the suffering Of Union prisoners
in Southern prisons occurred"
Gen. Grant, ordered the commissioner OF ex.
change mot to take another step by which
another able bodied man should be exchanged,
until further orders from him., and afterwards
gave directions that the matter of exchanges
should be put Extensively to the Confederate
authorities, tor the purpose Of preventing IN
exchange. @4L a2t
All the Federal officers connected with the
exchange of prisoners including Gen. Butler
himself are invoked as witnesses against HIM.
Mr.. Oud concludes his statement with the
following remarks, which present a significant
commentary upon the whole subject, Including
the trial and condemnation" Of Wirz, for
cruelty to the Federal prisoners.
''rhe facts which I have stated are we'll known
to the officers connected with the Confederate
Bureau of Exchange. aEa.
At one time [ thought al excellent oppor-
tunity was afforded of bringing some OF them
to the attention of the country. was named
by poor Wiz as witness in his behalf. The
summons was issued by Chapman, the Judge
Advocate of the Military Court. obeyed the
summons and was ir attendance upon the
Court for some ten days. The investigation
had taken wide range as to the conduct of
the Confederate and Federal Governments in
the matter of the treatment of prisoners, and |
thought the tine had come when | could put
before the world these humane offers OF the
Confederate authorities, and the manner IN
which they had been treated. l so expressed
myself more than once-perhaps too publicly,
But it was vain thought. Early in the morn
ing of the day on which [ expected to give my
testimony, received note from Chlpman,
the Judge Advocate, requiring me to surrender
nv SUBPOENA. refused, as it was my protcc-
ton in Washington. Without it the doors of
the Old Capitol might have opened and closed
upon re- engaged however, to appear be-
tore the Court, and | did so the same morning.
[ still refused to surrender my subpoena, and
thereupon the Judge Advocate endorsed On
it these words: 1.-THE within subpoena is here,
by revoked the person named is discharged
from further attendance. have got the curl
GUS document before me now; signed with the
name of IN 2. Chapman, colonel &c. l
intend to keep it if can, as the evidence OF the
first case in any court, of any sort, where wit.
ness who was summoned tor the detence was
dismissed by the prosecution | FASTENED to
depart, confident that Richmond was a safer
place for me than the metropolis.
Some time ago committee was appointed by
the treatment of prisoners in Southern prisons.
After the appointment of the commttee-the
Hon. Mr. Shanks, of Indiana, being chair
mani wrote to the Hon. Charles A.
Edridge and the Hon. Mr. Munger (the
latter member of the commttee) some of the
facts herein detailed Both OF these gentlemen
made an effort to extend the authority of the
committee, so that it might inquire into the
treatment of prisoners North as we'll as South,
and especially that it might inquire into the
truth of the matters which had alleged. All
these attempts were frustrated by the Radical
majority. although several of the party voted to
extend the inquiry. AS several thousand dol
lars of the money of the people have been
spent by this committee, will not they demand
that the investigation shall be thorough and
impartial? The House OF Representatives
have declined the inquiry let the people take
it up"
Ex-President FiIIlaore's Views.
On the 2sth of July, Mr.. Alexander II. II.
Stuart, addressed letter to Ex-President Fill
more, in which he asked:
Can you give me any ground OF hope Tor the
tutuTe?-will the people of the North rise this
tall in the majesty of their strength, and hurl
the usurpers from the high places which they
now degrade and disgrace?'
These inquiries were responded 10 by Mr.
Joseph Warren, at the request OF Mr.. Fillmore,
in letter dated the 10Th instant: which is pub.
lshed 10 the Staunton Spectator.
Mr.. Warren says there is good ground for
hope 10 the future, and proceeds to state the
reasons which influence him to believe that ali
will yet beright. lie says:
In the first place the Conservatives of the
North are united in organization united upon
the declaration Of principles adopted at New
York, and resolute and enthusiastic in the sup
port Of the candidates. From the moment OF
the adjournment OF the Convention. every re-
cognized Democrat and the thousands of the
old Wing party who are sincerely anti .Radlcal,
were pronounced for the ticket, and among this
class of men there is no varablencss or shadow