- [11] designs of the Confederate authorities, 592. -- terrible Revelations of a Committee of inquiry, 593. -- John H. Winder and his co-workers in iniquity, 594. -- cruelties practiced toward prisoners, 595. -- prisoners. Robbed of supplies sent them by friends, 596. -- sufferings in Libby Prison and on Belle Isle, 597. -- the prisoners on Belle Isle, 598. -- the prisoner -- pen at Andersonville, 599. -- the horrible cruelties of Winder, 600. -- the alleged inability of the Confederates to feed prisoners, untrue, 601. -- the Conspirators endeavor to conceal their cruelties. -- Robert E. Lee's strange lack of information, 603. -- the relative condition of Union and Confederate prisoners, 604. -- the Jarvis hospital, 605. -- Rates of mortality -- good work of Army and Navy Chaplains, 606. -- women starting a noble work, 607. -- origin of the United States Sanitary Commission, 608. -- workings of the Sanitary Commission, 609. -- origin of the United States Christian Commission, 610. -- workings of the Christian Commission, 611. -- benevolent work of the loyal people, 612. -- measures for reorganizing the disorganized States, 613. -- the dangerous plan of the President, 614. -- the President's disgraceful journey to Chicago, 615. -- the people's approval of Congressional action, 616. -- impeachment of the President proposed, 617. -- the President removes faithful officers, 618. -- the President Impeached, 619. -- his trial and its result, 620. -- the future of the Republic -- the National debt, 621.
On the downfall of the Confederacy, the prisoners were all set free, and the captive insurgents, who had been generously treated, comfortably housed, and abundantly fed, at all times and in all places, while in the custody of the National authorities, were sent to their homes at the expense of their ever kind Government. Gladly would the writer testify to like generous treatment, comfortable shelter, and wholesome and abundant food, accorded to the Union prisprisoners by the Confederate authorities. Alas! the truth revealed by thousands of sufferers, and the admissions of the Confederates themselves, compel a widely different record — a record which presents one of the darkest chapters in the history of human iniquity. Gladly would he omit the record, for it relates to the wickedness of some of his countrymen, but duty and honor require him, in making a chronicle of the Rebellion and Civil War, to tell the whole truth, and conceal nothing, so that posterity may be able to form a correct judgment of that Rebellion and Civil War. Soon after actual hostilities began, and prisoners were taken by both parties in the conflict, the important question arose, Can the Government exchange prisoners with rebels against its authority; without thereby tacitly conceding belligerent rights to the insurgents, and, as a consequence, practically acknowledging the Confederate Government, so called, at Richmond, as a Government in fact? Humanity took precedence of policy in the Cabinet councils, and an arrangement was made for the exchange of prisoners. A commissioner was appointed by each party for the purpose. Colonel W. H. Ludlow was chosen for the service by the Government, and the Conspirators. appointed Robert Ould to perform like duties. The former had his Headquarters at Fortress Monroe, and the latter had his at Richmond. Prisoners were sent in boats to and from each place. Aiken's Landing and its vicinity, on the James River, finally became a sort of neutral ground, where the exchanges took place. The operations of exchange were facilitated by the Government, as much as possible, because of accounts which came, from the beginning of the war, like a flood, concerning the cruel treatment accorded to the Union prisoners in the hands of the insurgents, at Richmond and elsewhere. The business of exchange went regularly on until it was violently interrupted by Jefferson Davis, at near the close of 1862, when he issued
Dec. 23, 1862. |
