Doc. 102. the Federal Generals at Charleston.
Letter from General Jones.
Hdqrs. Dept. Of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, Charleston, June 13, 1864.
General--Five generals and forty-five field officers of the United States Army--all of them
[592]
prisoners of war — have been sent to this city for safe keeping.
They have been turned over to Brigadier-General Ripley, commanding the first military district of this department, who will see that they are provided with commodious quarters in a part of the city occupied by non-combatants, the majority of whom are women and children.
It is proper, however, that I should inform you that it is a part of the city which has for many months been exposed, day and night, to the fire of your guns.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Samuel Jones, Major-General Commanding Major-General J. G. Foster, Commanding United States Forces on coast of South Carolina, Confederate States.
General Foster's reply.
headquarters Department of the South, Hilton head, S. C., June 16, 1864.
Major-General Samuel Jones, Commanding Confederate Forces, Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida:
General — I have to acknowledge the receipt, this day, of your communication of the thirteenth instant, informing me that five generals and forty-five field officers of the United States Army, prisoners of war, have been turned over to you by Brigadier-General Ripley, with instructions to see that they are provided with quarters in a part of the city occupied by non-combatants, the majority of which latter you state are women and children.
You add that you deem it proper to inform me that it is a part of the city which has been for many months exposed to the fire of our guns.
Many months since Major-General Gillmore, United States Army, notified General Beauregard, then commanding at Charleston, that the city would be bombarded.
This notice was given that noncombatants might be removed, and thus women and children spared from harm.
General Beauregard, in a communication to General Gillmore, dated August twenty-second, 1863, informed him that the non-combatant population of Charleston would be removed with all possible celerity.
That women and children have been since retained by you in a part of the city which has been for many months exposed to fire is a matter decided by your own sense of humanity.
I must, however, protest against your action in thus placing defenceless prisoners of war in a position exposed to constant bombardment.
It is an indefensible act of cruelty, and can be designed only to prevent a continuance of our fire upon Charleston.
That city is a depot for military supplies.
It contains not merely arsenals, but also foundries and factories for the manufacture of munitions of war. In its ship-yards several armed iron-clads have been already completed, while others are still upon stocks in course of construction.
Its wharves, and the banks of the river on both sides of the city, are lined with batteries.
To destroy these means of continuing the war is, therefore, our object and duty.
You seek to defeat this effort, and by means not known to honorable warfare, but by placing unarmed and helpless prisoners under fire.
I have forwarded your communication to the President, with a request that he place in my custody an equal number of prisoners of like grade, to be kept by me in positions exposed to the fire of your guns, so long as you continue the course stated in your communication.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major-General Samuel Jones, Commanding Confederate Forces, Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida:
Charleston, June 14.
For some time past it has been known that a batch of Yankee prisoners, comprising the highest rank now in our hands, were soon to be brought hither to share the pleasure of the bombardment.
They accordingly arrived on Sunday.
We give a list of their names and rank:
commanding officer on Morris Island will be informed of the fact of their residence in the shelled district, and if his batteries still continue their wanton and barbarous work, it will be at the peril of the captured officers.--Charleston Mercury, June 14.