The correspondent of the New York
Herald describes some of the scenes and conversations occurring at the exchanges of flags of truce on
Morris Island after the disastrous assaults on Battery Wagner.
He says:
‘
Early Tuesday morning burial parties, by permission of the enemy, went down to bury our dead outside the rebel works.
The bodies had to be interred without-being identified; but such are the fortunes of war.
Several rebel officers came out of the fort during the burying and conversed with the officers in charge of our parties.
They complimented our troops in the highest manner.
They said their charges were so determined and vigorous that it was almost impossible to stand before them.
At one time they anticipated being driven from the fort.
When the fight commenced on the 10th they scarcely expected to hold the fort all day; but now they said they intended to keep possession of it.--They were very bitter on the negro troops, and said such as they had captured would be sold at auction.
On Sunday morning
Lieutenant-Colonel Abbot went down with a flag of truce, having learned that
Colonel Tuterm was done, and made arrangements for his body to be forwarded.
He received some letters which had been taken from
Colonel Putham's person.
was and sent down to the camp of the Seventh New Hampshire, but it proved afterwards not to be
Colonel Putnam's, although there was a most striking resemblance which doubtless led to the error.
The body was not identified, and at night was buried on a land bluff.
It will probably be impossible to recover
Colonel Putnam's body.
On Monday
Lieutenant Ben, who was captured by us, severely wounded, in the engagement of the 10th, died at our hospital.
Last evening
Dr. Craven,
chief medical officer;
Lieutenant-Colonel Hull,
Provost Marshal, and
General Vodges, went with a flag of truce to return the body.
They were met first by
Captain Tracey, and afterwards by
General Heywood and
Colonel Cates, formerly member of Congress.
They had a very pleasing interview, and talked quite freely on some points "We intend to be a great nation yet," said they. "We think we can live without you; but you show your weakness by declaring you cannot live without us." That was their principal point.
They also complained about the negro soldiers, urging that it was unchivalrous to send negroes to fight gentlemen.
One important result of the interview was a mutual agreement for the general exchange of wounded prisoners.
The
Cormopontan will take up the wounded rebels to a point near
Fort Sumter, and there be met by a rebel steamer with our wounded on beard, when an exchange will take place.
Sunday was a very quiet day. Both sides were very busily engaged with humane occupation, burying dead, taking care of wounded, and recovering from the fight.
’
