The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-09-02

T.
l.: -: =. :: - 2 -..--
the 3lst Of. August, I!al 1861, informed me in
writing. that-he. had no communication
on the subject from the United States
authorities, and that he was not at that
time authorized to make any answer. ss
This offer, which would have instantly
restored to freedom thousands OF suffering
captives-whiclr would have released
every Federal soldier in confinement in
Confederate prisons--was not even no; no;
tieed. Was that because the Federal
officials did not deemit worthy: Of are
ply = OF because they feared tolmake ono {
As7tfie Federal authorities at that time
had q large excess Of prisoners, tho effect
fthe. .proposalswhicI4I i had made, fear,
riedaout, would have been tosresease all
Union prisoners, while a~large number OF
the 'Confederates would have remained in
prison, awaiting the, chances of the cap
ture1of their, equivalents
SH.-Ins. January, 1864, and, indeed.
some time earlier, it became very mani
fest That in consequence of the complica-
ton in. relation to exchanges, the large
bulk of prisoners on both sides would re-
main in captivity for many long and
weary months, if not for the duration of
the war. Prompted by an earnest desire
to alleviate the hardships of confinement
on both sides, I addressed the following
communication to Gen. E. A. Hitchcock,
United States Commissioner of Exchange,
and OH or about the day Of its date de-
1iYered. the same to the Federal authority:
- CONFEDERATE STATEs:oF- AMERICA,
WAR DEPARTMENT, /
% 20 - RICHMOND, Va, Jan. "a, 1864. }
Major General E. "A. Hitchcock, agent
of Exchange: s.1
SIR: ? 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 re-
ceive and distribute such contributions OF
money, food, clothing and medicine as
may be forwarded for the relief ct prison
sors. - / further propose that these sur
geons be selected by their own Govern
ments, and that they shall have full libcr-
t. at any aud all times. through the
agents of exchange, to make reports, not
only of their own acts, but of any mat
ters relating to the welfare of prisoners.
Respectfully, your obedcnt servant,
-, -. Ro. OULD, Agent of Exchange.
To this communication no reply ofany
kind was ever made. l need not state
how much suffering would have been pre-
vented If this offer had been met in the
spirit in which it was dictated: In addi-
ton, the world would have had truthful
accounts of the treatment Of prisoners on
both sides Gy officers of character and
thus much of that misrepresentation
which has flooded tho. country would
never lave been poured forth. The jury
box'in the case OF Wirz wonld have had
different witnesses, with different story.
| 1t will he borne in mind that nearly all ot
the suffering cndured-by Federal pris-
oncrs happened after january, ls64 .fhe
acceptance of the proposition made BY
me, on behalf of The Confederate Con.
rress. would not only have furnished to
the sick medicines and physici;:is,fbutto TO
tho we'll an abundance of food and cloth
ing from tho ample stores Of the United
| States. ,5-
Tho good faith of the Confederate Cow
ernment in making this offer cannot be
successfully questioned, for food and
clothing (WWithout he'surseons) were sent
In 1865, and were allowed 10 be distribn-
ted by Ecdcrah officers to Federal prison.
ers. Why could not tho more humane
proposal of January, 1864, be accepted ??
III. When it was asccrtained that ex-
changes could not be made, either on the
basis of the cartel, or officer fornoflicer,
and-man torlmang l=wasinstructed by the
Confederate authorities to offer to the
I United States Government their sick and
wounded without requiring any eqnva-
Iont. Accordingly, in the Summer OF
1864, I did offer to deliver from 10000 to
$4,000 Of the sick and wounded at the
mouth of tue Savannah River, without re-
quiring any equivalent, assuring at the
same time the agent of the United States,
Gen. Mulford, that if the number for
which he ght send transportation could
not readily be made up from sick and
wounded, / would supply the difference
with well men, Although this offer was
made in the Summer Of 1864. transporta-
ton was not sent to the Savannah River
until about the middle or last of Novem-
Der, and then I.delivcred as many prison
crs as could be transportcd-some $4,000
in number, among whom were more than
5000 well men.
More than once urged the mortality
at AndersonviIlc ns reason for haste on
the part Of the United States authorities.
|. L know, personally, that it was the pur-
posc of the Confederate Government to
send off from all it's prisons all the sick
and wounded, and continue to do the