The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-06

Richmond AMI senf home. hi response
twenty Confederate soldiers. mostly
North Carolinians. were released from
Bodl0e's Island. New York. and sent
10 Fortress Monroe TO be discharged
on taking the oath not TO bear arms.
In this Informal manner numbers were
from time to ume discharged At
Washington the oath was administered
to thirty-soyen prisoners OF war who
were confined In the military prisons.
The entire number took an oath not 20
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 Ccnfedcracy as a bcligerent
General Grant. who was appealed to
by General Polk (Confederate) 20 e5'
change certain cnptives. replied, II
recognize 10 Southern ConfederGcy
myself" but he consented 20 pass the
matter on to army headquarters
Exchanges were sometimes made by
officers acting on their own hook
General fremont went so far as to
arrange treaty with his opponent.
General Sterling Price, for the, regular
exchange of captives taken in their
operations. Appeals from prisons aud
from the homes of captives poured
into Washington. The captlyes them
selves naturally chafed under confinc-
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 i'm empty warehouses, the most
noted of which was that of Libby &
Sons. In IL few weeks these quarters
became overcrowded, 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 it
was suggested that the unfortunntes be
sent to Pensacola and New Orleans.
Describing n 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
rhe factory TO join their comrades I'm
captivity. There are now nearly 1000
prisoners I'm Richmond. and the sooner
some hundreds are sent south the bet
ter. We are in situation not unlike
the man who got the elephant as n
prize in lottery and didn't know what
to do with IT,"
Finally, on Dec Z. negotiations open
ed and soon led to the exchange on
James river of 2i0 from each side the
Confederates chiefly from North Caro-
lima and the Federals from Bull Run.
Slaves In Union Camps.
The extra session of the Thirty-sev'
enth congress, which closed in August
1861, took no decided action with re
gard TO slavery, except that it includ
ed slaves as property, which the United
States might con6scate If the enemy
could make use Of it in war. 1t wal
assumed by some people that this ac
of congress gave warrant for inter
ference with tho institution of slavery
The regular congress felt called upoi
to act. The uncertain status Of tn,
slaves made trouble in the camps
General Halleck, in the west. trentet
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 thu
United States. These two views wer,
directly opposed Yet President Lin
coin stood by General Halleck. Their,
were arrests Of runaway negroes made
in the streets Of Washington almost II
the shadow OF the White House. II
remedy the situation Senator Sumner
of Massachusetts, on Dec. 10 presented
n petition TO the senate asking that al
slaves coming within the jurisdiction
of the war powers should be set free
Previously, on the 9th. Senator Trum
bull of Illinois brought in sweeping
bill for confiscation of Confederate
property, including slaves. These wer'
to be set rec and employed or colo
nized. At the same time Loveioy oi
Illinois presented resolution revokins
the drastic orders OF General Hallecli
Some generals had gone further thar
Halleck and actually delivered NJ
slaves TO their masters right in campl
not far distant from Washington.