Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-23

destroyers. while In the eyes OF north
erners the Confederates were rebels"
and outlaws. Up to the battle of Bull
Run the number of prisoners on either
side was not large. BY that disaster
to the Federals the Confederates cap
tured some 1.400 of them. fact which
put an end to all idea OF punishment.
The Confederates released numbers at
different points on parole. and the
matter was compromised in various
ways Thus ffty-seven wounded SOL
diers were voluntarily released from
Richmond and sent home. In response
twenty Confederate soldiers. mostly
North Carolinians. were released from
Bedloe's Island. New York. and sent
TO Fortress Monroe to be discharged
on taking the oath not to bear arms.
In this informal manner numbers were
from time to time discharged. At
Washington the oath was administered
to thirty-seven prisoners Of war who
were confined in the military prisons.
The entire number took an oath not to
bear arms against the United States.
Under the Laws of War.
The matter of military prisoners Is
regulated under the laws Of war, but
the United States hesitated to recog-
nize the Confederacy as a belligerent-
General Grant, who was appealed to
by General Polk Confederate to ex-
change certain captives, replied. 81
recognize no Southern Confederacy
myself" but he consented to pass the
matter Oh to army headquarters.
Exchanges were sometimes made by
officers acting on their own hook.
General Fremont went so far as to
arrange a treaty with his opponent.
General Sterling Price. for the regular
exchange of captives taken in their
operations. Appeals from prisons and
from the homes of captives poured
| into Washington. The captives them
selves naturally chafed under confine-
ment, and there were numerous es-
capes from the prison guard. especial
" at Richmond Such fugitives were
usually recaptured and made to suffer.
In Richmond the captives were con-
fined in empty warehouses, the most
noted of which was that Of Libby &
Sons. In a few weeks these quarters
became overerowded. and the anxiety
of northern friends as to the welfare
Of the captives was increased by the
tone of the radical southern press.
Harsh treatment was advocated, and 1t
was suggested that the unfortunates be
sent to Pensacola and New Orleans.
Describing a fresh arrival at Rich
mond, the Dispatch of that city said;
THE crowd about the depot convers-
ed freely with the prisoners. but no
rudeness was exhibited toward them.
They were very soon marched off to
the factory to join their comrades in
captivity. There are now nearly 1000
prisoners In Richmond. and the sooner
some hundreds are sent south the bet
ter We are IN a situation not unlike
the man who got the elephant as q
prize in Iottsry and didn't know what
TO do with it"
Finally, on Dec. Z, negotiations open
ed and soon led to the exchange or
James river Of 24O from each side. the
Confederates chiefly from North Caro-
lima and the Eederals from Bull Run.
Slaves In Union Camps.
The extra session Of the Thirty sew
enth congress. which closed in August
1861, took no decided action with re
gard to slavery, except that 1t includ
ed slaves as property, which the United
States might conf1scate If the enem,
could make use Of it in war. 1t wal
assumed by some people that this &C
of congress give warrant for inter
ference with the institution of slavery
The regular congress felt called upol
to act. The uncertain status of tn
slaves made trouble in the camps
General Haueck. in the west, treated
them as spies. In the east the secre
tary of state, w. II. Seward. officiall.
notified General Mcclellan that the ne
groes who came within the army line
were entitled to the protection Of tn
United States. These two views wer
directly opposed. Yet President Lin
coin stood by General Halleck. Their
were arrests of runaway negroes mad
in the streets of Washington almost 4
the shadow of the White House. T
remedy the situation Senator Sumne
of Massachusetts on Dec. 10 presente
a petition TO the senate asking that a