Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 30.djvu/99

 Treatment and Exchange of Prisoners. 91

authorities had selected two captains for execution in retaliation; and he concludes this letter with this significant language:

"In view of the awful vortex into which things are plunging, I give you notice, that in the event of the execution of these persons, retaliation to an equal extent at least will be visited upon your own officers, and if that is found ineffectual the number will be increased. The Great Ruler of Nations must judge who is responsible for the initiation of this chapter of horrors." Id., page 690-' i.

In a letter of January 5th, 1863, Judge Ould wrote:

"Nothing is nearer my heart than to present on either side a resort to retaliation. Even if made necessary by course of events, it is much to be deplored. These are not only my own personal views, but those of my Government."

It is almost unnecessary to say that, of course, these complaints and threats and appeals, would not have been made, at the time, and in the manner they were made, had not just cause existed there- for, and that the Federal authorities were solely responsible for the condition of affairs then existing. (See another letter of the same date on the same page as to political prisoners.)

This being the condition of things, on May 25th, 1863, the follow- ing order was issued by the Federals:

"WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C., May 25, 1863. 4 ' General Schofield :

" No Confederate officer will be paroled or exchanged till fur- ther orders. They will be kept in close confinement, and be strongly guarded. Those already paroled will be confined.

"H. W. HALLECK,

" General-in-Chief."

And similar orders were sent to all commanders of Federal forces throughout the country. Id., p. 696. See also pp. 706-' 7, 722.

It is surely unnecessary, then, after reading these letters, and this order, to say which side was responsible for violations of the cartel while it remained in operation, and for the suspension of its opera- tions, as well as for the.first maltreatment of prisoners.

With the exception of exchanges in individual cases, this suspen- sion of the cartel continued. So that, on July 2nd, 1863, Mr. Davis addressed a letter to Mr. Lincoln (which we have never seen before), in which he said, among other things, after referring to the differ-