

CONFEDERATE STATES. 



215 



in the same language addressed to the officer in com- 

 mand of the United States forces at Fort Monroe. 

 The gunboat proceeded immediately to the Minnesota, 

 with these despatches, while the Torpedo remained at 

 anchor. Between 3 and 4 o'clock P.M., another boat 

 came up to us, bearing the admiral's answer, which 

 is hereunto annexed, marked B. 



We remained at or about this point in the river un- 

 til the 6th inst., when, having heard nothing furthe_r 

 from the admiral, at 12 o'clock M., on that day, I di- 

 rected Lieut. Davidson again to speak the gunboat on 

 guard, and to hand to the officer on board another note 

 to his admiral. This was done. A copy of the note 

 is appended, marked C. At half past two o'clock 

 P.M., two boats approached us from below, one bear- 

 ing an answer from the admiral to my note to him of 

 the 4th. This answer is annexed, marked D. The 

 other boat bore the answer of Lieut. Col. W. H. 

 Ludlow to my note of the 4th, addressed to the officer 

 in command at Fort Monroe. A copy of this is annex- 

 ed, marked E. Lieut. Col. Ludlow also came up in 

 person in the boat that brought bis answer to me, and 

 conferred with Col. Ould, on board the Torpedo, upon 

 some matters he desired to see him about in con- 

 nection with the exchange of prisoners. From the pa- 

 pers appended, embracing the correspondence refer- 

 red to, it will be seen that the mission failed from the 

 refusal of the enemy to receive or entertain it, holding 

 the proposition for such a conference " inadmissible. 



The influences and views that led to this determin- 

 ation after so long a consideration of the subject, must 

 be left to conjecture. The reason assigned for the re- 

 fusal of the United States Secretary of War, to wit: 

 that "the customary agents and channels" are con- 

 sidered adequate for all needful military " communica- 

 tions and conferences," to one acquainted with the 

 facts, seems not only unsatisfactory but very singular 

 and unaccountable ;" for it is certainly known to him 

 that these very agents, to whom he evidently alludes, 

 heretofore agreed upon in a former conference in refer- 

 ence to the exchange of prisoners (one of the subjects 

 embraced in your letter to me), are now, and have 

 been for some time, distinctly at issue on several im- 

 portant points. The existing cartel, owing to these 

 disagreements, is virtually suspended, so far as the ex- 

 change of officers on either side is concerned. Notices 

 of retaliation have been given on both sides. 



The effort, therefore, for the very many and cogent 

 reasons set forth in your letter of instructions to me, to 

 see if these differences could not be removed, and if 

 a clear understanding between the parties as to the 

 general conduct of the war could not be arrived at be- 

 fore this extreme measure should be resorted to by either 

 party, was no less in accordance with the dictates of 

 humanity than in strict conformity with the usages of 

 belligerents in modern times. Deeply impressed as I 

 was with these views and feelings, in undertaking the 

 mission, and asking the conference, I can but express 

 my profound regret at the result of the effort made to 

 obtain it; and I can but entertain the belief that, if the 

 conference sought had been granted, mutual good could 

 have been effected by it ; and if this war, so unnatural, 

 80 unjust, so unchristian, and so inconsistent with 

 every fundamental principle of American constitution- 

 al liberty, " must needs " continue to be waged against 

 us, that at least some of its severer horrors, which now 

 so eminently threaten, might have been avoided. 

 Very respectfully, 



ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS. 



[A] 



C. 8. STEAMER TORPEDO, oft JAMES EIVER, ) 

 July 4tfi, 1868. ) 



SIR : As Military Commissioner, I am the bearer of 

 a communication in writing from Jefferson Davis, 

 Commancler-in-Chief of the land and naval forces of 

 the Confederate States, to Abraham Lincoln, Com- 

 mander-in-Chief of the land and naval forces of the 

 United States. Hon. Eobert Ould, Confederate States 

 Agent of Exchange, accompanies me as secretary. 

 For the purpose of delivering the communication in 



person, and conferring upon the subject to which it re- 

 lates, I desire to proceed directly to Washington city, 

 in the steamer Torpedo commanded by Lieut. Hunter 

 Davidson, of the Confederate States navy, no per- 

 son being on board but the Hon. Mr. Ould, myself, and 

 the boars officers and crew. 



Yours, most respectfully, 



ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS. 

 To Rear Admiral S. P. LEE, U. S. Flagship Minnesota, 



[B] 



U. 8. FLAGSHIP MINNESOTA, OFF NEWPORT ) 

 NEWS, Va., July 4th, 1868, 2.30 P.M. f 

 SIR : Your communication of this date is received. 

 I will report by telegraph your arrival and object, and 

 inform you of the result without delay. 

 Very respectfullv yours, 



S." P. LEE, A. R. Admiral, 



Commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. 

 Hon. ALEX. H. STEPHENS, Military Commissioner. 



[C] 



C. 8. STEAMER TORPEDO, OPT NEWPORT NEWS, Va., J 

 12 o'clock M., July 6tfi, 1863. f 



Acting R. Admiral S. P. Lee, IT. S. Flagship Minnesota : 

 SIR ; Will Admiral Lee inform me, if he can, how 

 long it will probably be before an answer will be made 

 to my note of the 4th instant? 



Will he please, also, forward the accompanying letter 

 from Hon. Mr. Ould, Confederate Agent of Exchange, 

 to Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. H. Ludlow, United States 

 Agent of Exchange ? 



Most respectfully, 



ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS. 



[D] 



II. S. FLAGSHIP MINNESOTA, OFF NEWPORT NEWS, Va., I 

 July &th, 1863. i 



SIR : The request contained in your communication 

 of the 4th instant is considered inadmissible. 



The customary agents and channels are adequate for 

 all needful military communications and conferences 

 between the United States forces and the insurgents. 

 Very respectfully yours, 



S. P. LEE, A. R. Admiral, 

 Commanding N. A. Blockading Squadron. 

 Hon. ALEX. H. STEPHENS. 



[F] 



HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VA., SEVENTH ) 

 ARMY CORPS, FORT MONROE, July Qth, 1863. $ 

 Hon. Alex. H. Stephens : 



SIR : In the temporary absence of Major-General 

 John A. Dix, commanding this department, I have the 

 honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communica- 

 tion of the 4th instant, addressed to the officer com- 

 manding United States forces, Fort Monroe, and in the 

 execution of instructions from the Secretary of War, 

 to inform you that the request therein contained is 

 deemed inadmissible. 



The customary agents and channels are considered 

 adequate for all needful military communications and 

 conferences. 



I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



WM. H. LUDLOW, 



Lieut.-Col. and Assistant Inspector-General, 

 Seventh Army Corps, 



Agent for Exchange of Prisoners. 



At the beginning of the year the military 

 power of the Confederacy was regarded by its 

 citizens as able to cope very strongly with 

 its adversary. It had been pressed back at 

 some points, and received some severe blows, 

 but it was very far from being either shattered 

 or broken. The Mississippi river was firmly 

 closed. The advance in Tennessee was firmly 

 checked, and no progress was made by Gen. 

 Hooker in Virginia. On all sides a hopeful 



