Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-07-06
WESTMINSTER PALACE HOTEL.

LONDON, June ., lSSv.
My DEAR SIR: Not long ago left home
l got your letter about the Somerset pri-
sOners, but could not give much infOrma-
tiOn beyond what you had previously re-
ceived. knew and remembered very we'll
that a considerable number of young men
from our native county, imprisoned at
Richmond were in imminent danger OF
being put to death in retaliation for some
outrages charged against Union officers in
the West. Somebody who knew all the
facts Of the case laid them before me. with
an urgent request that would exert myself
to save them. What learned enabled me
| to see with certainty First, that the Con-
federate authorities thought their right to
take this extreme measure a very clear one,
and intended to act upon it second, thatS
according to the law of war, they had no
| such right; third. that our government
thought it rather desirable than otherwise
that the rebels should commit this horri-
BILE blunder. for it would make them OdiOus
all the world over.
The false and cruel policy of both bellig
| ercnts cOncurred in sacrificing the lives of
these innocent and merit OriUus men. and
| there seemed to be no hope for them ex-
cept from the energetic intervention of pri-
vate friends. OF course did not hesitate
10 do what could, but 1 found the war
department in it's worst mood. Stanton
meant to act upon the principle which i'm
PEELED him to let the prisoners die at An
dersOnville when they were offered their
liberty without exchange upon the sole
condition that they should be taken to their
homes at the expense of the federal gOvern-
ment. l think I convinced him that he had
a right to redeem these men and that their
delivery would not be refused ifa flag of
truce was sent down with proper presen-
tation of their case; but he would not
promise to make the effort. thought he
would not be pleased with the interference
of one who was not only out of Office, but
a Democrat into the bargain. Becoming
alarmed by the appearance of things l
sought the assistance of Mr.. Puleston,
who was then agent for Pennsylvania or in
some way represented Governor Curtin.
He promised his utmost exertions and ex-
pressed great surprise that the department
should hesitate about it for moment.
was soon afterwards informed, unoficially,
that the flag Of truce had gone down and
a little later that the men were coming
home.
| l had not forgotten Mr.. Puleston's
agency in the business, but did not un-
derstand how important his service was
until came here. You know, l suppose,
that he was then British subject {; that he
returned after the war to this country !;
that he became a mighty banker !; declined
to be elected lord mayor of London and
took a seat in Parliament for Daven-
| port, borough in Devonshire. AS
soon as met him here he re-
| called to my memory the case of my
Pennsylvania friends and told me more
than had known before of their narrow
escape. It seems that Stanton was bent
on leaving them to their fate and irritated
at me for meddling with thing that was
none of my business. PulestOn told him
it would not be safe to disregard my ap-
peal and that had the case in such shape
that could hold him (Stanton) RESPONSE
ble for the death of every man who might
be lost in this way. had said that their
blood should not sink into the ground
without cry to heaven. Stanton imme-
diately after this-pOst hoe and prOpter
hoe, as think and as PulestOn thinks
took the measures necessary to save them.
| This is all can tell you about the
affair. l kept no copies of my letters, and
am almost certain that they were not
filed, though never inquired for them.
do not recollect the ground upon which
the Confederates at first refused to ex-
change the prisoners, butI am sure that it
was easily shown to be untenable, and it
was afterwards abandoned by themselves.
l believe your brother and his comrades
owed their lives to the justice and human
ity of Mr.. Puleston, without whose
prompt and efficient aid all efforts of .mins
would have been unavailing.
I am, with great respect, yours, ETC.,
J. S. BLACK.
To GEORGE F. BAER, esq.,, Reading, Pa.