ENT, Washington City, June 29, 1865. w, Commissioner of Exchange, Fortress Monroe: ert yourself to procure the release of Richardson and Browne, Tribune reed at Vicksburg. Browne's health is said to be failing. If they are held as any special reason, ascertain and report it. EDWIN M. STANTON. WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., February 5, 1864. Richardson and Julius Browne, correspondents of the New York Tribune, are mers in Richmond. I am induced to believe that we have some prisoners at able for their exchange. so good as to inform me whether you can accomplish the release of the Tribune and what you desire may be done for that object? espectfully, your obedient servant, E. A. HITCHCOCK, Major General U. S. Vols., Comm'r for Exchange of Prisoners. 1 B. F. BUTLER, Commanding, &c., Fort Monroe. OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER FOR EXCHANGE, Fort Monroe, Va., February 9, 1864. mmunication of the 3d instant was received. I shall make an effort to neange of the New York Tribune correspondents with the rebel authorities by truce boat. nor, general, to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. A. HITCHCOCK, BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major General and Commissioner for Exchange. mmissioner for Exchange, Washington, D. C. DQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, OFFICE COMMISSIONER FOR EXCHANGE, Fort Monroe, Va., April 4, 1864. mmunication in regard to James M. Brown, newspaper correspondent, has ill be made to Commissioner Ould to procure his exchange. e honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, OFFMAN, BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major General and Commissioner for Exchange. ry General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C. was in answer to a renewed effort to effect a release in this case. E. A. H., Commissioner of Exchange. [Telegram.-Sent 4.2 p. m.] al MEREDITH, Fortress Monroe: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, November 11, 1863. rized to transmit any funds that may be furnished to you for the use of our -hmond, taking a receipt from the person to whom you deliver them for l sending a copy thereof to this department. EDWIN M. STANTON, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, February 10, 1864. flag-of-truce boat, with women and children, nor to mington, and elsewhere, at present, as you propose to Tolk whom you want to send away for cause you are er persons across the lines. hange is, in the opinion of this department, irregular, would be seized upon as a justification of the irregular ebels; and besides, from its indefiniteness, would not and would lead to serious embarrassment in the final be made. The reasons for this opinion are more pard to you by Major General Hitchcock upon this subon of that report, you will yourself be satisfied that is premature, and would afford serious advantages to WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, February 14, 1864. an account of a recent interview between Mr. Fulton, missioner Ould, at City Point, in which the latter stated condition of the prisoners on both sides, he had made a #eeks previous, that a number of our surgeons should to visit and remain with our prisoners wherever they city, and permission to go to any point, when necessary They would also be allowed to act as commissaries for e lines such stores as they might deem necessary, and return he had asked that the same privilege be granted t not receiving any reply. g been received here, the Secretary of War directs that er proposition from that source, not submitted to this ; and if so, to submit them without delay. ED. R. S. CANBY, Brigadier General, A. A. G. vinia and North Carolina, Fort Monroe, Virginia. A. E. H. JOHNSON. HEADQ GENERAL: Your report of negotiations the exchange of prisoners, has been refer to furnish you such instructions on the su After a careful exainination of your rep necessary are 1. Touching the validity of the paroles Hudson. 2. The status of colored prisoners. As to the first, no arrangement for the e not fully recognize the validity of these par number of prisoners now held by the confe be in our favor by virtue of these paroles. officers and men as were captured and pa confederate prisoner of war will be paroled As to the second, no distinction whatever colored prisoners; the only question being military service of the United States. If the prisoners, and conditions of release and ex colored soldiers as in the case of white sold F. BUTLER, Fortress Monroe: Washington City, March 10, 1864. furnish to me a report of the number of prisoners delivered by you to the ge since you entered upon your present command, with the respective dates nating the names and rank of the commissioned and non-commissioned offies of the privates. Upon receiving the rolls, with this designation, Colonel ssary of prisoners, will be ordered to designate the like number of our officers y be declared exchanged. Those to be declared exchanged will be taken ave been longest on parole. This is the mode in which declarations of exesent circumstances, should be made. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War A. E. H. JOHNSON. [Telegram.] WAR DEPARTMENT, UTLER, Fortress Monroe: Washington City, February 29, 1864. ise your own discretion as to the time and number of officers to be sent Representations made by escaped officers led this department to the concluor two hundred officers were sent to City Point by you, and offered in exme number of ours, the rebels would not dare to refuse; hence the order But if you deem it more advantageous to the service to delay its execution, EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. A. E. H. JOHNSON. HEADQUARTERS ARMIES of the United STATES, nor herewith to enclose for your information a copy of my letter of instruceneral B. F. Butler, commanding department of Virginia and North Caroe exchange of prisoners. e honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ΤΑΝΤΟΝ, tary of War, Washington, D. C. U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant General. HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, In field, Culpeper C. H., Va., April 17, 1864. our report of negotiations with Mr. Ould, Confederate States agent, touching prisoners, has been referred to me by the Secretary of War, with directions ich instructions on the subject as I may deem proper. I examination of your report, the only points on which I deem instructions he validity of the paroles of the prisoners captured at Vicksburg and Port of colored prisoners. no arrangement for the exchange of prisoners will be acceded to that does ze the validity of these paroles, and provide for the release to us of a sufficient hers now held by the confederate authorities to cancel any balance that may by virtue of these paroles. Until there are released to us an equal number of as were captured and paroled at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, not another ner of war will be paroled or exchanged. id, no distinction whatever will be made in the exchange between white and ; the only question being, were they, at the time of their capture, in the of the United States. If they were, the same terms as to treatment while onditions of release and exchange, must be exacted and had in the case of as in the case of white soldiers. SIR: The proposition of Colonel from yourself, transmitted to this off war, on each side, be released from either placed in the condition of ot equivalents," has been submitted th be accepted. Orders have been sent to Colonel I mediate effect on our part to this accep Ould, in order that no time may be There has been some delay here in ord uals to be affected by the proposition, tion presumed by the proposition, to tary court; Frank Battles, a captain of Prisoners; and William McBlair, guard. You can furnish Colonel Ou subject. We shall expect, of course, to be this business on the part of Colonel ment or in irons, in the south, are pl I take this occasion to remark tha hension with regard to the number o as well as the reasons governing par Very respectfully, your obedi SIR: Your communication of th You are very much mistaken in Since the receipt of your commu I sincerely hope that in this m Major JOHN E. MULFORD, Assistant Agent transmitted to this office in the following words, to wit, that "all prisoners of side, be released from confinement (close) or irons as the case may be, and in the condition of other prisoners, or sent to their respective homes for their has been submitted this morning to the Secretary of War, who directs that it been sent to Colonel Hoffman, Commissary General of Prisoners, to give imon our part to this accepted proposition, and you are requested so to advise Colonel that no time may be lost in carrying the proposition into effect on his part. a some delay here in order to make the necessary inquiries to ascertain the individcted by the proposition, and I learn of but three prisoners on our side in the condi1 by the proposition, to wit: Daniel Davis, a lieutenant under sentence of a milirank Battles, a captain under special instructions from the Commissary General and William McBlair, temporarily confined for an attempt to elude a hospital can furnish Colonel Ould with this statement as an answer to his inquiry on the xpect, of course, to be informed within reasonable time of the full completion of on the part of Colonel Ould, and that all prisoners of war held in close confinens, in the south, are placed in the condition of other prisoners. occasion to remark that Colonel Ould appears to have been under a misappreregard to the number of prisoners of war held in close confinement on this side, reasons governing particular cases. espectfully, your obedient servant, E. A. HITCHCOCK, Major Gen. Vols., Com'r for Exchange of Prisoners. NE. MULFORD. CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, Va., September 12, 1864. communication of the 10th instant, accepting a proposition made by me some t"all prisoners of war on each side be released from confinement (close) or case may be, and either placed in the condition of other prisoners or sent to their mes for their equivalents," has been received. You do not state whether these be mutually surrendered, or to be held as prisoners of war. I would prefer that be delivered, the party having the excess to receive proper equivalents. Please at is the understanding in this respect. ry much mistaken in supposing that there are only three persons held by the rities in close confinement or irons. Besides those named by you, there are ns, W. P. Burgess, John Marrs, and Thomas M. Campbell, at Johnson's island, Gordon at Fort Delaware. I was also notified that on the 18th of July last, ling officer at Fort Delaware had been ordered by the Secretary of War to James P. Brown, company K, Tennessee cavalry, 1st Lieutenant B. I. Brail7 E, 1st Texas, 1st Lieutenant R. H. C. Bailey, company A, Foster's cavalry, enant A. W. Dogier, company F, 6th South Carolina cavalry, in close confine.) I am quite confident, also, that there is a number of our officers and soldiers nement in irons or at hard labor at Alton. I think some will also be found at in other prisons east and west. ceipt of your communication, I have received one from General Butler in relation bject-matter. He proposes to except from the operation of the agreement those 3 or regularly convicted, before some competent tribunal, of offences known to vs, the laws of nations or of war. This offer I cannot accept. Have you one oldier in close confinement or in irons, who is not under charges or has not been victed? Is there any probability that we will ever agree as to the true interhe laws of nations or of war? We have not yet, and never will. I have no objecoposition as far as it relates to municipal laws, for the confederate government ld that soldiers are responsible to the proper authorities for crimes committed r before or after capture. hope that in this matter we will have no misunderstanding. It is my desire th sides who are in close confinement or in irons, shall be immediately released he condition of other prisoners of war. I make no exception save when the ier has offended against municipal laws. I will thank you to communicate the ontained in this letter to General Hitchcock, and let me know at an early date accepted by your government. etfully, your obedient servant, N E. MULFORD, ssistant Agent of Exchange. RO. OULD, Agent of Exchange. |