New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-05

II the value OF this hook as material
for the future historical novelist is per-
ceived at once, I'm no small measure on
account Of its readable ness. the re-
port Is at the same time a document
OF more serious significance. The day
has come for a frank recognition OF
the inhumanity OF the tonfederacy's
treatment OF its prisonersyf war. With
his dwindling resources and his in
creasing difficulty Of securing n sufll-
cient food supply for the Southern
army and the people OF Richmond. the
Confederate commissary eaneral may
be assumed 10 have done his casual,
uninterested best for tho prisoners oe
war. but, Major Putnam POINTS out,
the stupid brutality OF the whole bust
ness was I'm keeping prisoners at all in
Richmond during the last win ter OF the
war" The food issued 10 them was
that condemned az unfit for the South
ern troops. II was as deficient in nour-
ishing qualities as IL was In quantity,
and repulsive beyond description. Fur
thermore, personal cleanliness was
made practically impossible; psotection
against the inclemencies of the winter
there was none. When, finally, in Feb
ruary. 1865. an exchange OF prisoners
was arranged:
The Confederates whom we met ION tho
steamboats, coming TO Richmond, rs wo
went down the James. looked To be in
good working and good lighting TRIM
Our men who were not entirely trokcn
down were, through lack OF food and
through the exposure 10 cold, Though
lack Of clothing, physically discouraged
and depressed, although they did MAIN
tain for tho most part Will power.
The Union. as Stanton we'll knew,
was exchanging TT, able-bodie SOL
diers. ready to fight again, for human
wrecks. Major Putnam served as -one
Of the adjutants to General Joseph
Hayes when this captive Union cdn-
mander was appointed exchange OIL
Ger on parole in Richmond. In the
course Of his duties the author had
wider view OF the mismanagement. and
infinitely worse, OF everything pertain
ing TO tho treatment and care of tlso
Northern men in Southern hands. Hb
learned that not one in four OF the
letters written home by these prisoners
OF war had ever been forwarded; he
discovered in tho Southern capital
mass Of packages addressed to them.
containing every sort OF comfort, from
blankets and hannels TO delicacies,
which had not been delivered to them,
though no difficulties stood I'm the way;
and, in the hour OF his release, no was
made aware that he and his comrades
must not look for the return Of the
money taken from them on their capt
ure, which, they had been assured at
the time, would be all right"
They found, however. on their re-
lease in Danville money lenders ready
to advance them funds in Southern
currency at the rate Of hundred Con-
federate dollars for one greenback:
1t was only when our men came to
visit the Danville shops that they real
lied how small was the value OF the
currency In exchange for which they had
Just given good money In drafts on their
fathers In the North. Dealers are usu-
ally glad to make sales, but in March,
1865. The wise shopkeeper preferred to
hold on TO his shoes and blouses rather
than To exchange them for pieces OF
paper that In the course OF few days
would nave no market value whatso-
ever.
Major Putnam tells OF the devices
Invented by the imprisoned officers to
kill time. They played chess, and
started classes for the study OF Span
lsh and German. Four OF the men
managed to escape, and those left be-
hind succeeded in covering up their