Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-03
THE EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.

1
federate agent for exchange of prisoners,
addressed to the editor of the National
Intelligencer, and republshed in your
paper Of the 23d inst, on the subject of
exchange and treatment Of prisoners.
In February, 1868, i was assigned to
duty with Col, Ould, as assistant agent Of
exchange, and remained with him in that
capacity until the close of the war.
was his chief executive officer during the
whole of this time, and am personally
cognizant of all of the facts contained in
this letter. In the East, where Colonel
| Ould is we'll known, his statements need
no vindication other than the official
record and the array of facts he presents.
| They certainly require no suhstantiation
from me; but, iuasmuch as / was more
closely identified with him, and with the
facts he parrates, than any other Con-
federate officer, ! have deemed it due to
him, to the people of the South, and to
the truth of history" that should add
my testimony to his, and 60 with him be-
| fore the American people, in vindication
of our course in regard to the treatment
and exchange of prisoners-the gross
Misrepresentation Of which has contri-
buted more than any other cause toward
exciting the passions and kindliDg the
prejudices of good people Of the North
against the South
| The time has come when the people OF
this republic are willing to receive the
truth; when they demand the truth upon
not be deferred from its investigation by
the once potent, but now stale argu-
ment of "rebel."
All the records, books and papers of
the Confederate Bureau of Exchange
were preserved ard carried by Col. Ould
and myself from Richmond to Appomat-
tox Courthouse, and after the surrender
we're reported by US to General Grants
headquarters. We were furnished with
cavalry escort back to Richmond, with
instructions to deliver these records to
General John f. Mulford, then Assistant
Agent of Exchange on the part of the
| United States. These instructions were
followed to the letter, and the records
were delivered at his oficein Richmond.
Each one of the letters embodied in Col.
Guilds statement was a part of these
records, copies of which we're carefully
preserved in record book kept for this
purpose. If these letters are not official
and genuine copies, their falsity can be
readily proven by producing the original
letters, which should be on file at the
proper Office at Washington.
As to the delivery of the letter bearing
date August 10, 1861" there can be no
question. 1t was delivered by Colonel
Ould in person to General Mulford, and
was the subject of many interviews be-
tween US, until the answer of General
Milford, dated August 81, 1864" put
an end to negotiations, and frustrated
any further hope of carrying out its pro-
visions. was with Col Ould during his
memorable interview at Fortress Monroe
with Gen. B. F. Butler, then the agent
for the exchange Of prisoners on the
part of the United States, during the
latter part of March, 1864. 1t was and
ever will be memorable as booming
thousands of prisoners Of war to an in
definite and cruel Imprisonment, and
fixing forever the responsibility of it
upon those to whom it properly belongs
"a tolerably satisfactory basis had
been reached "a basis of exchange
which would have opened the doors OF
every prison in the South, and saved
thousands of lives, as well as untold suf-
ferings But at the last moment it was
countermanded, and the cruel and in
human policy adopted, the fruits OF
which are to be found in every household
in the land
The proposition Of COL 0uld, con-
tanned in his letter of January "a, 1864,
addressed to Gen. Hitchcock, to the effect
that "the sick and wounded of each side
should be attended by competent sur
geons appointed by their own Govern
ment," was the result of long and earnest
thought, and was offered as the last effort
that could be made to alleviate the sut-
ferings Of the large and constantly accu-
mulating number of prisoners on both
sides. This proposition was the subject
of frequent interviews between Col. Ould,
myself and Gen. Mulford; and the final
rejection of so humane and feasible a
plan must forever stampwith inhumanity
the authors of the atrocious policy OF
which it was part.
The final offer by the Confederate au-
thorities to deliver up all the sick and
wounded prisoners in Georgia and South
Carolina, without equivalents, was made
in the latter part of July or early IN
August, 1864 1t was referred to again
and again by Col 0uld and myself in
separate interviews with Gen. Mulford,
but not until late in the fall did he inform
us that he had authority from his gov
ernment to accept so humane PROPOSE
ton. For this purpose / met Gen. Null
ford late in November, at the mouth OF
the Savannah river. was accompanied
BY a competent corps of surgeons, with
detail Of twenty men from the "ambu.
lance committee of Richmond body
composed of the best and truest men OF
that city, organized early in the war, aud
accustomed to handling sick and wounded
and, with all the necessaries and luxu'
ries which the Confederate government
could furnish, our preparations TO move !
the prisoners with comfort we're as com
pleie as was possible in our then straight
ened circumstances. / had previously |
sent an experienced surgeon 10 visit |
every prison and hospital from which
expected prisoners, with specific insiruc
tions to inspect their condition carefully, |
and, as far as practicable, not to permit
a single one TO be forwarded TO me whose
health and strength could not bear trans-
portation home.
To accordance with the agreement in
pursuance Of which these instructions
were gen, delivered 70 Gen. Mullord,
Al Savannah and CharlestoB, about
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