Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

[608] these Confederate prisoners so kept at work will be made to work, and work faithfully, daily during the same period of time.

This order will be read to the prisoners set to work, the first time they are mustered for labor, in order that they may know why it is that they do not receive that kind and courteous treatment they have heretofore from the United States, as prisoners of war.

Upon any attempt to escape by any of these prisoners so kept at work, they will be instantly shot.

By command of

Major-General Butler. [Official.] Ed. W. Smith, Assistant Adjutant-General.

The succeeding day the order was exactly executed. The experiment was a success. October 20 General Lee officially notified General Grant that the negro prisoners had been withdrawn from the trenches and would be treated as prisoners of war, and thereupon an order¹ was issued and they were released.

This experiment was a success in another point of view, showing how readily the rebels under pressure can be converted to loyalty, as nearly, if not quite, all of them, being citizens of Richmond, offered to take the oath of allegiance if they could be released.

Colonel Mulford was much delayed in carrying out his instructions because of the interference with his steamers devoted to this purpose. They were taken for the transportation of troops, to make up the complement by orders from some of the bureaus at Washington, the remainder of his transports being filled with prisoners who were not sick. While I was in command at New York he wrote me that his vessel had been taken away from him by some sub-official in Washington, to transport troops.²

Having before that procured the assent of the Secretary of War to the lease of the steamers Atlantic and Baltic for this humane enterprise, I answered in the most imperative manner that he should not yield to subordinate interference at Washington,--a thing of which I had seen something too much,--and that he should hold his transportation at all hazards.³

In compliance with the order Colonel Mulford got off, and arrived in Savannah River about the 15th of November and reported his