The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-15

To die in battle, falling at the front in
q conflict worthy of ones life struggle.
seems a fitting end to soldiers earthly
career. A Christian soldier can anticipate
that with a measure of restful satisfac-
ton, and his loved ones can look back
upon it with n sense of its exalted fitness.
But to be disarmed and help captive.
and to languish on in inactivity while his
companions continue in the fight to whlch
he gave himself SO heartily. is fate from
which the soldier mind recoils. and which
he who loves the soldier cannot conteih-
plate without shudder.
The sufferings and endurances OF prls-
opers of war form a dark chapter in the
record of great military operations all
along the later centuries. and Commanders
and Governments are often more severely
criticised for their treatment OF sol
der prisoners than for murderous conduct
In the field in the most relentless war
fare. 1t seems to many that the inpris-
oument of soldier is in itself unsoldieriy:
while but few are ready to recognize the
fact that prisoners of war are mark OF
positive progress in humanity, IN clVIilza-
ton. and in a reverent recognition OF the
sacrednes of life and of the common broth
erhood of man.
In the earlier ages men who gave dead
Weld. in that very act, their right to live II
overborne and subdued. In those days. 1t
was in many countries supposed to be a
duty of the conQueror to offer the lives OF
those captured in battle in sacrifice to the
god in whose name he went out to war. In
other lands, again. the captives were
deemed the property possession OF the
captors. to he made use of as slaves IN
such manner as would best meet the needs
of those who had Overborne them. 1t was
only after centuries of progress that the
idea gained place in the human heart,
that the soldier who was captive IN non
orabie warfare was captive only during
the continuance of that warfare, and was
entitled to his life and to its protection
and support by his captOrs until the prop
er time for his honorable release and I'M
trammeIed freedom. Then was the be
ginning of the peculiar experiences OF
prisoners of war as we now understand
the term.
EARLY DAYS OF THE WAR.
Prisoners taken in the earlier engage
ments of our civil war were IN some IN
stances paroled and released on the battle
field at the close of the engagement. to he
exchanged and set free for renewed active
service when a cartel should be. agreed on
for such exchanges. In other cases they
were from the first held as prisoners OF
war, in iaiIs or forts, or other buildings
set apart for the purpose. on the one SIDE
or the other, while awaiting formal ex-
change Not until more than year had
passed was a cartel agreed on between the
contending authorities for general ex-
change of prisoners. After that the ex-
changes were for a time comparatively
prompt and regular. Again, there were
occasional Interruptions to the operation
of the cartel from one cause and another.
During the last year of the war. it was
In accordance with the policy OF Gen.
Grant to send back no soldiers to resume
fighting in the Confederate army, even
though Union soldiers could be secured in
exchange. Then all exchanges were in
Permitted; and this policy inevitably
caused much discomfort and suffering on
both sides, as necessarily incident to such
conflict as. ours. and as part of the
great cost of final peace and order.
The Rev. Hiram Eddy. Chaplain of the
1st Conn.,, was taken prisoner in the bat.
tie of Bull Run, or Manassas, and con.
fined for II months in what was known
as the Tobacco Warehouse Prison.. IN
Richmond. Soon after his exchange and
release, l was appointed to the chaplain
ry of the 10th Conn.,, already in the field
and he preached the sermon at nv Ordi
nation, A year from that day ! recalled
his sermon from my quarters as pris
oner of war in Richland Jail, Columbia
s. C. had already had experiences as
q prisoner in Charleston Jail, and ! wa'
subsequently an inmate of Libby Prison
In Richmond. Some of my experiences il
prison life are as vivid as any recollec
lions of camp or campaigning in more &C
tive service, and they go to make up III,
lights and shadows of a Chaplain's wal
memories.
TAKEN PRISONERS UNDER A FLAG OF
It was on Saturday evening, July Is
1863, that Gen. Gilmore made his disas
trous assault on Fort Wagner, at the en-
trance to Charleston Harbor. The nex
day the dead, and many of the wounded
lay on the sand plain, and among the sam
hills between that fort and the cute
line of the Union works, then held b.
our brigade. A flag of truce arranged fo
q cessation of hossilities, in order to bur
the dead and remove the wounded.
At the suggestion of one of my com
manders / went out on the field to rende
such assistance as ] could in the line o
ministry to the wounded My tent-mat
and intimate friend, Adj. Camp, accom-
panied me. As we were moving alon
In the prosecution of my work. we wer
met by Confederate officer and three o
four men who were on a similar human
mission. The officer claimed that we ha
It was unmarked. between the two force,
and that We were in consequence
his prisoners. When we prOteste
against being thus held. as we wer
still very near our works. and at
much greater distance from the enemy.
we were assured that the Commander
General wonld not wish to take any at
vantage of an unintentional mistake as
the truce line at such a time, but that W
must be detained until he authorized on
return. 1t was thus that came to be
prisoner of war.
While awaiting decision In our cas-
from Gen. Hagood, in command on tn
Island. we cOnversed pleasantly with
group of Confederate officers who gail
cred abcut us. Among these was Cap
Thomas Y. Simons. of Charleston, a va
graduate Of the class of 1877. We fGun
that We had number of friends In cen
mon with him. and We talked freely wit
him and with the others of the cause
and possible outcome of the great confli
In progress. He was an original Sece
sionist, heartily in favor of disunion, ar
was sure that the independence of Il
South was the predetermined and on
possible result of the civil war.
When word came back from Gen. Fl
good, referring the ultimate decision
our case to Gen. Ripley at Charlesto
We were led up the island. Our eyes we
blindfolded while passing the works Of Il
enemy, SO that we should not have al
important Information to carry back
case of our release. As the armistice W;
now at an end, there was a resumption
picket-6ring on both sides. Led along