1st. The South was opposed to all prisons—preferring to exchange all prisoners on the field.

2nd. The South first proposed to enter into a Cartel for exchange of prisoners, and at a time when she had thousands more prisoners than were held by the North.

3rd. She carried out this Cartel faithfully—delivering thousands of prisoners, on their parole, because the North did not have prisoners to exchange for them.

4th. The North, then having many of her paroled prisoners at home, and on the eve of the surrender of Vicksburg, knowing the Confederates to be captured there the nett day would give her a preponderance of prisoners an order was issued by Secretary Stanton, disallowing and revoking all paroles by other than the commander of an army, of either sick, well or wounded, ordering them back into the ranks to be punished: for disobedience of orders.

5th. The North, after getting en excess of prisoners on hand, proposed to continue the exchange, confining it to prisoners then in confinement, thus attempting to evade an honest compliance with the Cartel by declining to exchange paroled prisoners for those of the Confederates then in their prisons.

6th. The South humiliated herself by parading before the United States Government the unhappy condition of Northern prisoners and which she was powerless to mitigate.

7th. The South, after confessing her inability to furnish Northern prisoners with proper food and medicine, and not wishing them to die in prison submitted to Major-General Hitchcock, the Federal Agent for exchange, the following proposition:

CONFEDERATE WAR DEPARTMENT,

RICHM0ND, VA., January 24, 1864.

Sir: In view of the present difficulties attending the exchange and release of prisoners, I propose that all such on each side be attended by a proper number of their own surgeons, who, under rules to be established, shall be permitted to take charge of their health and comfort. I also propose that these surgeons shall act as Commissaries with power to distribute such contributions of money, food, clothing and medicine as may be forwarded for the relief of prisoners. I further propose that these surgeons be selected by their own governments, and that they shall have full liberty at any and all times, through their agents of exchange, to make reports, not only of their acts, but of any matters relating to the welfare of prisoners.

Respectfully

ROBERT OULD

Confederate Commissioner of Exchange.

When Judge Ould offered the United States Government the right to send by her own surgeons and medicines for Union prisoners, the medica1 supplies in the South had long been exhausted.

Quinine was then worth in the South $60.00 per ounce, while it was worth only $5.00 in New York. As thousands of Union prisoners died from malarial diseases incident to the Southern climate, who might have been saved with the proper medicines, does not the refusal to furnish such medicine fix the responsibility of their deaths upon the United States Government?

This broad Christian offer was never noticed by the Federal Government. Finding that the United States Government paid no attention to this Christian proposition, then the Confederate Government ordered Judge Ould to propose to the United States Government to furnish, without equivalents, 15,000 of their sick ~nd wounded at the mouth of the Savannah [liver as soon as they would furnish transportation. This offer was made early in August, 1864, but not a vessel reached the mouth of the river to receive these prisoners till late in the following December, thus allowing death to reap its greatest victories during the months of September, October and November. The South turned over to the North on the arrival of the first ship 13,000 sick and wounded, and many strong, healthy men, receiving only 3,000 sick soldiers in lieu thereof.

Prompt acceptance of this humane proposition would have returned to their country and families thousands of those who now sleep under the pines around Andersonville.

8th. The South, moved by the sufferings of Union prisoners, and being utterly without medicine, proposed to the Federal authorities to buy medicines from them, paying in gold, cotton or tobacco, at even two or three prices for the same, for the Union prisoners, pledging the honor of the South not to use one ounce of it for Southern soldiers. This was declined or never accepted. Was it Christian to refuse to sell medicine to their own men who were dying for the want of it? If it was, the Sermon on the Mount ought to be relegated to the land of fable.

9th. We now come to the final reason why it was best that Union prisoners should die in prison, rather than to be released to their homes. It is the argument of military necessity. It was a question of the few dying for the many.

General Grant had said in his dispatch to General Butler, August 18, 1864:

"It is hard on our men held in Southern prisons not to exchange them, but it is humanity to those left in the ranks to fight our battles. At this particular time, to release all rebel prisoners North would insure Sherman's defeat, and would compromise our safety here."

Did any one ever think that if the 95,000 Confederate prisoners then in Northern prisons had been released, it also released 95,000 Union prisoners?

If General Grant regarded each Northern soldier equal on the field to each Southern soldier, what difference would this exchange have made in the relative numbers of the two armies? The truth is, General Grant never hoped for success except in overwhelming numbers. As a General he was wise, prudent and brave, and knew that the greater millstone must ultimately wear away the lesser.

Military necessity. The refusal to exchange prisoners and the enlistment of Negroes were a military necessity, and this won the fight.

The battle of Gettysburg ended on July 3, 1863. On the next day, General Lee, finding himself encumbered by many thousands of prisoners, addressed General Meade, proposing to exchange them. To this note General Meade replied by telegram to Major-General Halleck:

"A proposition made by General Lee, under flag of truce, to exchange prisoners was declined by me."

(Signed) GEORGE C. MEADE,