Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-04-05
AAlmanoria 6a5&tte
WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL s.
Who We're Response BILE for the uffer.
ings Of the Prisoners of War.

Who ere Response BILE for the = suffer.
ings Of the Prisoners of War.
The March No. OF the Southern Historical
Society papers, which will be ready for delivery
in two or three days, will be most important
and valuable historical document. 1t is full
vindication of the Confederate Government
against the charge Of cruelty to prisoners.
1t shows that the first propositions to ex
change prisoners were made by the Contederacy;
that the Federal Government agreed on Car,
tel when the Coutederates had the excess OF
prisoners, 10 the early part of January, 1862,
which they coolly repudiated as soon as the
captures at Henry and Donaldson gave them
the excess of prisoners; that when the cam'
paign of the summer of 1862 again gave the
Confederate the excess of prisoners the fede-
ralauthorties Immediately agreed to cartel,
about the execution of which there was no sort
of difficulty until Vcksburg and Gettysburg
again give the Federals the excess OF prisoners;
and that their course from that time until the
end Of the war was oGe which plainly meant
that there should be no exchange OF prisoners.
1t shows that the law of the Confederate Con-
gress and the orders of the departments pro-
vided that prisoners of war should have precisely
the same ratoDs, in quaDtlty and quality, as
were issued to Confederate soldiers IN the tcld
aud that prison hospitals should be placed on
the same footing as other hospitals, and that
these orders we're rigidy carried out. ltgves
a full expose of the cause of the feartaul NOR
taility ct Andersobville, and shows that they
were beyond the control of the Confederate au-
thorities.
1t brings out the fact that after the cartel
was suspended and all efforts on the part OF our
commissioner of exchange (Judge Ould) to re-
sumo it or establish a new one had tall
ed, be made at different times these dis
tpct propositons |. That both parties
should be allowed to send surgeons, with
supplies, to care for their prisoners. 2. That
the Federal authorities might send their sur
geons, medicines aud supplies without graft
ing the sane privilege to the Contederates. 8.
That the Confederate Government should be
allowed to purchase in the North (paylng gold
cotton, or tobacco) needed medicines which
they pledged themselves to use only tor fede-
raj prisoners; and that each and all OF these
propositions were rejected. 1t brings out that
Judge Ould finally informed them 10 August,
1854 OF the fearful mortality among their prls-
oners, and proposed that if they would send
transportation to Savannah he would return
them, without any equivalent, $4,000 OF their
sick, and that this humane proposition was not
accepted until the last of November-the
greatest mortality at Andersonvle occurring
during this period.
These and other points are proven by lncon-
trovertible official documents. Statements from
President Davis, General Lee, Vice. President
Stephens, Secretary Seldom, and Judge Oud
are given also the Report Of the Joint Com-
mittee of the Confederate Congress on the
Treatment Of Prisoners "a rare aud very able
document). A very able paper from DR.. Jos.
Jones, Of New Orleans, aud statement from
DR.. K. R. Stevenson show the causes Of the
mortality at Audersonvllle, and az able paper
from General j. D. lmboden, the last com
maudant Of Andersonville, gives some new and
interesting points.
But one of the most valuable papers 10 the
number is letter from Hon. r. g. b. Kean,
who was chief clerk in the Confederate w ar
Department, giving an exceedingly Interesting
history of the famous report of Col. Chandler
on the state of things at Audersonville in Au-
gust, 1864, which the northern papers have
ruog the changes on ever since the w lrz trial.
This letter, and an extract from one from Mr..
Seddon, show beyond all doubt that so far
from conniviug at cruelty to prisoners the Con.
tederate Government did everything IN Its
power 10 alleviate their condition.
These and other documents given are simply
invaluable to ell who want to know the truth.