Gen. M'Clernand to Col. Buford.
Brigade Headquarters, camp Cairo, Oct. 23, 1861.
Col. N. B. Buford, Commanding 27th Illinois Volunteers:
sir: You are hereby intrusted with a delicate, and, in a political aspect, a highly responsible mission.
A. A. Woodward, Lewis Young, and Frederick Penny were captured in the affair at
Charleston, Mo., on the 20th of last August, and have since been detained at this post as prisoners of war. You will take them in charge on Government steamer, and, under the protection of a flag of truce, proceed to
Columbus, in Kentucky, and there making known your mission to the
commanding officer, will deliver them to such persons as he may authorize to receive them.
When you have fulfilled your mission, you will ask of the commander of the camp safe conduct therefrom, and immediately return to this post.
In your conversation with the commandant or with his representatives, you will avoid all discussion upon the rights of belligerents, and place my action herein simply on the ground of humanity, and a desire to relieve the unhappy war now waged between kindred, of peculiar and aggravating difficulties.
Beyond this limit I do not deem it advisable for you to go.
Yours, &c.,
Gen. M'Clernand to Gen. Polk.
Brigade Headquarters, camp Cairo, Oct. 23, 1861.
To the
Commanding Officer at
Columbus, Ky.:
sir: The chances of the present unhappy war having left in my hands a number of prisoners who have been detained at this post for some time past, I have, for special reasons, as well as in obedience to the dictates of humanity, determined, unconditionally, to release them.
The prisoners alluded to are
A. A. Woodward, Lewis Young, and
Edward A. Penny — all taken by a party of United States troops in the affair at
Charleston, Mo., on the 20th of August last.
Col. N. B. Buford, of the Twenty-seventh regiment of Illinois Volunteers, is charged by me with the delivery of said prisoners, to such person as you may authorize to receive them, and for that purpose visits your camp under the protection of a white flag.
You will please receive him in the specific character with which he is clothed, and, after the completion of his mission, give him safe conduct from your camp.
I have the honor to be yours, &c.,
Col. Buford to Gen. M'Clernand.
sir: I had the honor this day to convey your despatch with a flag of truce on board the steam-tug
Sampson, to
Maj.-General Polk, commanding at
Columbus, Kentucky.
I was received by the
General with true military courtesy, and delivered to him, with your despatch, three prisoners who had been captured by our forces at
Charleston, Mo. He desired to discuss with me the question of an exchange of prisoners, but upon my exhibiting to him my orders from you, and informing him that I should confine myself strictly to them, that sentiments of humanity alone had prompted your action, he ceased to press the discussion, but went on to inform me that he held sixteen of your troops as prisoners of war, and that he would immediately liberate them unconditionally.
The General received my suite,
Capt. Dresser, of the Artillery;
Lieut. Sheldon, of the Twenty-seventh regiment Illinois Volunteers;
Surgeons Simmons and
Brenton, of the U. S. Army; and
W. Chapman, my
Secretary, with cordiality; and we were introduced to
General Pillow,
Captains Black and
Polk of his staff, and many other officers.
He remained on the steamer
Charm, with our tug alongside, for four hours, while the prisoners were being got ready to be delivered to me, during which time the most friendly conversation was enjoyed.
My party were hospitably entertained.
I ventured to propose the sentiment, “
Washington and his principles,” which was repeated with hearty approbation,
Generals Polk and
Pillow expressed a high appreciation of your character, and commended you for sending the tug on an errand of humanity.
They deplore this unnatural war, but maintained that they should be separated irrevocably from the
North.
They professed to believe many things which I thought erroneous, which I combated with arguments and statements.of facts.
The conference ended without an unfriendly word or occurrence.
I left
Cairo at twenty minutes past twelve, reached
Columbus at two P. M., parted company with
General Polk on the steamboat
Charm at six P. M., and arrived at
Cairo at eight o'clock P. M., happy in having been intrusted with a mission which has led to the liberation of nineteen captives.
Your obedient servant,
N. B.
Buford, Col. Twenty-seventh Reg't Illinois Volunteers.
P. S.--I herewith append a list of the prisoners liberated by
General Polk.
Gen. Polk to Gen. M'Clernand.
Sir: I have received your note of this date, borne by
Colonel N. B. Buford, of the Twenty-seventh
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Illinois regiment, responding to the overture made by me to
General Grant some days since, on the subject of an exchange of prisoners; and although your mode of accomplishing it waives the recognition of our claims as belligerents, I am not disposed to insist on an unimportant technicality when the interests of humanity are at stake.
I accept the release of the three prisoners tendered me, being, as your note implies, all of those of the Confederate army in your possession.
In return, I have pleasure in offering you the sixteen of those of the
Federal army in my possession.
Hoping that, in the prosecution of the unhappy conflict in which we are engaged, we shall never lose sight of the claims of generosity on those who direct the operations of the armies of our respective Governments,
I have the honor to be, respectfully, yours,
Adjutant-General Brayman to Adjutant-General M'Keever.
Sir: I am instructed by
Brigadier-General McClernand, commanding at this post, to enclose--
1. Copy of his communication to the officer commanding the hostile forces at
Columbus, Ky., accompanied by return of the persons therein named.
2. Copy of reply of
Major-General Polk, accompanied by sixteen persons.
3. List of the persons thus received.
4. Copy of instructions given
Colonel N. B. Buford, Twenty-seventh regiment Illinois Volunteers.
Adding that the proceedings passed off without accident, and, as appears, with good effect.
Yours, &c.,
