The National tribune., 1908-01-23

change could be effected.
This cartel continued in force during
the rest of 1852 and the beginning o
1868. It was applied to all prisoner:
captured in the battles of the Army O
the Potomac-the second Manassas. An
tietam. Fredericksburg and Chancel
lorsviile, and of the Western Armies a
Perryville, Corinth. Stone River, etc
In the meanwhile serious disagreement:
arose, the first being over the treat
ment of colored troops and their Off
GERS. The Confederacy met the policy
of the Government in enlisting coloret
men by violent legislation. prescribing
that all negros taken in arms should bt
restored to their former masters, il
they could be found, and, if not, to be
sold at public auction. Their officers
were to be turned over to the several
the laws furnishing those who melted
serval insurrection. OF course, our
Government having put these troops in
the field was in honor bound to protect
them. It made urgent remonstrances,
and held prisoners as hostages for the
Union colored troops and their officers
captured by the Confederacy.
The next source of disagreement
came from the capture of Vicksburg
with its garrison of 10000. This was
in the cartel and in paroling the pris-
oners there Gen. Grant had still wider
ideas. A large proportion of the pris-
oners captured were men from the
country which had already been occu-
pied by our armies, and Gen. Grant
reasoned that by allowing them to go
home and remain there undisturbed
they would take no further part in the
war and be lost to the Confederate
army.
Gen. Pemberton saw this danger, and
applied to Gen. Grant to have the pris-
oners sent, under guard, outside his
lines to a point where the Confederate
authorities could get control of them.
Gen. Grant declined to do this, and it
was made the pretext for declaring all
IF the prisoners SO captured exchanged
The men who were inside of the Con-
federacy at the time were, in violation
IF their paroles, put into the ranks of
he army massing against Rosecrans,
ani they fought his army at Chicka-
While these disagreements We're be-
ng discussed the prisoners captured
It Gettysburg and Chickamauga were
leld in confinement by the Confeder-
ties, and on the Union side those of
he enemy taken were also held. The
'esult was that by the end of 1851
he Confederates had about $4,000
Union prisoners, mostly in Richmond,
While the Union armies held about 25,-
100 Confederates.
There was considerable feeling mani |
ested by the people on both sides over
he holding of the prisoners in captivi- |
y, and Gen. B. F. Butler, having ex-
ressed his belief that he could secure |
n exchange with the Confederates man
or man, was, by orders dated Dec. II,
S63, directed to proceed to Fortress
fonroe, and make such arrangements
s he could for this exchange, being
overned by the following written in
tructions:
mot to negotiate for any exchange
1hich shall not return to you man for
lan, officer for officer of equal rank
nth those paroled and sent forward,
egarding, of course, in the earlier ex-
ono \
motives Of humanity, those on either
ide that have been longest confined,
9th in officers and men.
"Colored troops and their officers will
e put on an equality in regard to ex-
hange as right with other troops.
"Colored men in civil employment
AIKEN by the enemy may also be ex-
hanged for other men taken by us in
ivil employment.
"You are permitted, in conducting
ne question, to waive for the present
ne consideration of the questions of
arole and excess, now pending between
ae Confederate belligerent authorities
nd yourself
In conducting this delicate and per-
APPS difficult matter. you will see to 1t
nat in no degree the protection of the
government is withdrawn from our COL
red soldiers and the officers command
lg, and that in nc respect, so far as
results from your action, shall the
onor or dignity of the Government be
This, it will be seen, strictly MAIN
lined the Governments attitude of
rejection to our colored soldiers and
ieir officers, and it set forth the posi-
on that the Government steadfastly ;
aintained to the close of the war, of
an, but not to deliver on parole the
tcess in their hands, in view of the ,
wilful violation Of the {
lroles in previous instances. 1t went
the extreme of fairness in ignoring !
le question of the surplus OF prison. &
s before held in it's hands, and would q
egin afresh upon a man-for-man basis. ;
he Confederates, hungry to get back $
! of sneir men in Northern prisons,
eadfastly refused to exchange man
r man unless the surplus was paroIed
Id returned to them.
Col. Robert Ould, the Confederate l
gent of Exchange, wrote to Maj Null
rd that he could not consent to ex-
lange man for man, which he held to
the paroling of the surplus. Thence
rward the Confederate Government '
mt all its efforts to force our Gov
nment to make this concession in re-
Inc hn