The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-05-03
THE COMING ALTON
AT1CHICAGO.


in that city on the 18th, 18th and 14tl
inst, and the form of an invitation wa,
prescribed "to all who recognize the
American flag as an emblem of nation
ality, undivided and Indivisible."
Gov. Potter, Of Tennessee, inclosed 6
copy of this circular to Gen. Beauregard
of New Orleans, asking him how much
truth there was in the remarks of GER
tain Gen. Frank Sherman at the Chicago
meeting, objecting to an Invitation being
sent to Gen. Beauregard because he was
in favor of shooting all prisoners taken
under the American flag. Gen. Beaure.
gard replies in very caustic manner,
giving many facts indicating his charac.
ter as an honorable soldier. He opens
his reply as follows:
| In this section of our country such ex-
hibtions of animosity are confined to
those who, during the war, were turthest
from the enemy, gathering up the spoils
in the wake of the cOntending armies.
Is not this General Frank Sherman one
OF those despicable charactersp
The fact which is the basis of the
charge against Beauregard is the con.
currence of himself and Stonewall Jack.
son in the policy of granting no quarter
to Federal prisoners in retaliation for
the refusal of the Federal Government
to recognize Confederate prisoners as
"prisoners Of war" at the first battle of
Manassas.
We do not know what other course
high-minded Generals could take to COM
pei the enemy to extend all the courte-
sizes of civilized warfare to the Confed-
crates. The Federal Government very
soon found that the s'rebels" were car
rylng on such war as must be recog-
nized as civil war, entitled to all the
consideration Of international warfare.
OF course, Beauregard and jackson had
no occasion for insisting upon the "no
quarter" policy after the Federal Gov.
ernment had placed itself right In this
regard. In self-defense they could not
have insisted upon anything short OF
the emo quarter" brutality. 1t had the
desired effect.
Gen. Beauregard describes the circum-
stances under which he again demanded
the hoisting Of the black flag as fellows:
With regard to the mortality of prison.
ers on both sides, the Washington
Union (Radical) of October, 1858, con-
tanned the following article: ''In reply
to resolution Of the House of Repre-.
sentatives, calling upon the Secretary of
War for the number of prisoners OF eth
er side held and that died during the
war, he makes the following report:
Number Of Union prisoners-S0uth, 260,-
$40; died, 22,596; number of Confederate
prisoners-NorIh, 2OO.000; died, 26, 435-
that is, two of the former out of every
twenty-five, and two Of the latter
out Of every fifteen. Comment is
here unnecessary, in view of the
condition and resources Of those
two sections Of country. So diamet-
rioaily opposed to the one practiced by
the Coniederates when they invaded
Maryland and Pennsylvania under their
l saw the emaciated forms and wretched
condition of our returned Southern pris.
oners, again advocated the hoisting OF
the black flag, willing at any time to for
felt my life in the deadly struggle. Not
withstanding these views, / always
treated my prisoners with humanity and
consideration. had the fortune Of
taking many thousands of them at Man
assas, Shiloh, Charleston, Drury's Bluff,
Bermuda Hundreds and Petersburg,
most OF whom are, l suppose, still alive,
and can (and certainly would J testify to
the fact.
These facts are very different from
what was understood to be true during
the war. We had Libby and Salisbury
horrors upon horrors daily reported
enough to shock Comanche. On the
contrary, the people of the North saw
with their own eyes Confederate prison.
ers congregated at Chicago, at Columbus
and many other points who were well fed,
and in all instances treated with human
ity.
Indeed, such was the contrast In the
treatment Of prisoners of war, North
and South, that Stanton objected to ex.
changes because the Confederates would
get soldier in full health and heart in
exchange for an invalid, who was dis
abled from even helping himself as
citizen. All our people had frequent
spectacles of returned prisoners from
the South who were utterly ruined in
both body and mind. We saw them so
reduced that in mind they were as child
ish as an infant, and so emaciated in
body as to be utterly helpless.
How is it.then that the above figures
can be true, to-wit: That only one In
twenty-five Of Federal prisoners died in
the South while one in fifteen of Conted-
crate prisoners died in the Northi We
do not understand 1t. We were either
greatly deceived during the war ON this
point. or else the facts quoted by General
Beauregard are outrageously false.
Still. we now cherish no animosity on
account Of the horrors of the war. Gen.
Frank sherman was an enemy to his
country In the malice he displayed TO-
ward General Beaursgsrd, who, since
the war, has used his influence In, ND
holding the nationality that 20 oomplsts-
" sladlcated ttsslf sgainit the rebellion.