Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-09-10
of its date, delivered the same to the
Federal autho rity:
STATES OF AMERICA,
war DEPARTMENT,

Il LO0NAaA ebthOAtel
Confederate STATES OF AmEnlcA,
Wan DEPARTMENT,
RICHMOND, Va, January "a, 1864.
Major General L. A. Hitchcock, Agt. Of Exchange;
SIN: In view of the present difficulties attending
the exchange and release Of prisoners, propose
that all such on each side shall be attended by q
proper number Of their own surgeons, who, under
rules to be established shall be permitted TO take
charge Of their health and comfort.
also propose that these surgeons shall act as
commissaries with power to receive and distribute
such contributions Of money, food, clothing and
medicines as may be forwarded for the relief OF
prisoners. l further propose that these surgeons
be selected by their own Governments, and that
they shall have full liberty at any and all times,
through the agents Of exchange, to make reports
not only Of their own acts, but Of any matters re-
lating 70 the welfare Of prisoners.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
R0. 0ULD, Agent Of Exchange.
To this communication no reply Of
any kind Wds eyer made. ] need not
state how much suffering would have
been prevented if this offer had been
met In the spirit in which it was die
tated. In addition, the world have
had truthful accounts of the treatment
of prisoners on both sides by officers
Of character, and thus much of that
misrepresentation which has flooded
the country would never have been
poured forth. The jury box in the
case of Wirz would have had different
witnesses, with different story. 1t
will be borne in mind that nearly all
of suffering endured by Federal pris-
oners happened after January, 1854.
The acceptance Of the proposition
made by me, on behalf of the Confed-
crate Government, would not only
have furnished to the sick medicines
and physicians, but to the well an
abundance of food and clothing from
the ample stores of the United States.
The good faith of the Confederate
Government in making this offer can
not be successfully questioned, for food
and clothing (without the surgeons)
were sent in 1865, and were allowed
to be distributed by Federal officers
TO Federal prisoners.
Why could not the more humane
proposal of January, 1864, have been
accepted!
Ill. When it was ascertained that
exchanges could not be made either
on the basis of the cartel, or officer for
officer and man for man, was instruct
ed by the Confederate authorities to
offer to the United States Government
their sick and wounded, icithOut reQuir-
ing any equivalents. Accordingly, in
the summer of 1864, did offer TO de-
liver from ten to fifteen thousand of
the sick and wounded at the mouth of
the 6avannah river wiJnOut recognizing
any equivalents, assuring al tLo s---.s
time the agent of the United States,
General Mulford, that If the number
for which he might send transportation
could not readily be made up from sick
and wounded, would supply the diff
ference with well men. Although this
offer was made in the summer of 1854,
transportation was not sent to the
Savannah river until about the middle
or last of November, and then j deliv-
cred as many prisoners as could be
transported-some thirteen thousand
in number, amongst whom were more
than five thousand well men.
More than once urged the mortali-
ty at Andersonville as a reason for
haste on the part Of the United States
authorities. | know personally, that
it was the purpose of the Confederate
Government TO send off from all its
prisons all the sick and wounded, and
to continue to do the same, from time
TO time, without requiring any equiv
alents for them 1t was because the
sick and wounded at points distant
from Georgia could not be brought 10
Savannah within q reasonable time
that the five thousand well men were
substituted.
Although the terms Of my offer did
not require Federal authorities to de-
liver any for the ten or fifteen thous-
and which / promised, yet some three
thousand sick and wounded were de-
livered by them at the mouth of the
Savannah river. | call upon every
Federal and Confederate officer and
man who saw the cargo of living death,
and who is familiar with the character
Of deliveries made by the Confederate
authorities, TO bear witness 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 least, such were
specially asked for, and particular re-
quest was made for those who were so
desperately sick that Il would be
doubtful whether they would survive
removal few miles down the James
river. Accordingly, the hospitals we're
searched for the worst cases, and after
delivered they were taken to Annapo-
lis, and there photographed as speci-
men prisoners. The photographs at
Annapolis we're terrible, indeed but
the misery portrayed was surpassed
at Savannah.
The original rolls showed that some
thirty-fve hundred had started from
Northern prisons, and that death had
reduced the number during the transit
TO about three thousand. The NOR
tality amongst those who were deliv-
cred alive during the following three
months was equally frightful.
But why was there this delay be-
tween the summer and November in
sending transportation for sick and
wounded, for whom no equivalents
were askedi We're Union prisoners
made to suffer 10 order to aid the pho
tograpbs Sin firing the popular heart
of the North I"
~. In the summer Of 1884, in con-
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