[
597]
Receive all the sick and wounded the
Confederate authorities will send you, but send no more in exchange.
To obtain the delivery of even sick and wounded prisoners without any return would be a somewhat difficult operation, save that the enemy by giving us our wounded and sick in their hands, we retaining all the rebel sick and wounded in ours, burdened us with the care and cost of all the sick and wounded of both sides, an operation of which it is difficult to see the strategic value, and is only to be defended because of its humanity in rescuing our wounded from the destitution and suffering permitted to them by the
Confederates.
Nothing further was done with the exchange save to receive from
Richmond such sick and wounded as they delivered to us, till the 15th of August, when I received a note from
Major Mulford,
assistant agent of exchange, from which the following is extracted:--
The Confederate authorities will exchange prisoners on the basis heretofore proposed by our government, that is, man for man. This proposition was proposed formally to me after I saw you. Shall I come to you before I arrange to go up river again for wounded?
I intend to leave there Wednesday morning unless you direct otherwise . . . .
To this I telegraphed the following reply:--
headquarters Department of Virginia and North Carolina, in the field, Aug. 16, 1864, 8.15 A. M.
Major Mulford,
agent of exchange,
Fortress Monroe:
Bring up with you
General Walker to be exchanged for
General Bartlett, and what wounded Confederate officers there are at the hospitals at
Fortress Monroe.
Also send for
Captain Woolford.
I do not want any women for this trip from
Norfolk or
Fortress Monroe.
1 Come up as soon as you can with the New York.
