582 



PORT EOYAL. 



PRISONERS. 



from the cutter. There were five injured on 

 board the Harriet Lane. 

 PORT ROYAL. (See ST. HELENA PARISH.) 

 PRISONERS, EXCHANGE OF. When the 

 hostile armies of the country met in conflict, it 

 became a matter of certainty that prisoners 

 would be taken on both sides, and the question 

 at once presented itself, what was to be the 

 disposition of them ? To "hang those captured 

 by the Northern arms as rebels taken in the act," 

 as was suggested by the more zealous, clearly 

 could not be tolerated, for the reason that the 

 Confederates had ample means of terrible retri- 

 bution ; and a system of bloody retaliation would 

 cause the war to degenerate into a contest as 

 savage as that waged by the Africans before 

 the market opened by slave dealers taught the 

 black chiefs that it was more profitable to sell 

 than to slay. There was no recourse but to 

 exchange, according to the laws of war. This 

 the Federal Government hesitated to comply 

 with, for the reason that it might be construed 

 into acknowledging belligerent rights on the 

 part of the Confederates. The necessity of ex- 

 change became urgent, and the friends of pris- 

 oners were clamorous that something should 

 be done for their relief. The Administra- 

 tion practically ignored the question, being im- 

 pressed with the idea that it would derogate 

 from the dignity of its position to accept any 

 interchange, of courtesy. The question was, 

 however, practically solved, when the Confed- 

 erates declared that they had selected a number 

 of Bull Run prisoners to hang, in case the pri- 

 vateers of the Savannah should be so dealt 

 with. It would seem to have been far better 

 to have entered frankly into an exchange, 

 as did the mother country with her revolted 

 colonies, than to have been drawn from a de- 

 clared purpose by threats of retaliation, and 

 then to leave the question of exchange to the 

 various commanders under flags of truce, while 

 the Government appeared to shut its eyes. It 

 is clear that some general and definite arrange- 

 ment should have been concerted on this im- 

 portant point, to the end that equal and exact 

 justice might be done to all who were in arms 

 for the defence of the same cause. It is not 

 just that those serving in one department 

 should, under the different rulings of the sev- 

 eral military commanders, enjoy rights and 

 privileges denied to others whose misfortune it 

 is to have lost their liberty while equally uphold- 

 ing the honor of the flag in another direction. 



By according to the Confederate States the 

 rights of belligerents, at least to the extent of 

 exchanging prisoners, no rights of sovereignty 

 are conceded. There is a well-defined distinc- 

 tion between the two, recognized by the United 

 States courts. By exchanging prisoners nothing 

 is conceded or admitted, except what is patent 

 to the world that actual war exists, and that 

 a Christian people should at least conduct it 

 according to the usages of civilized nations. 

 Up to the battle of Bull Run, the number of 

 prisoners on either side was not large. By that 



disaster the Confederates captured some 1,400 

 Northern troops, a fact which put an end to 

 questions of punishment. The Confederates re- 

 leased numbers at different points, on parole, 

 and the matter was compromised in various 

 ways. Thus, fifty-seven wounded soldiers were 

 voluntarily released from Richmond and sent 

 home. In response, twenty Confederate soldiers, 

 mostly North Carolinians, were released frotn 

 Bedloe's Island, New York, and sent to Fortress 

 Monroe, to be discharged on taking the oath not 

 to bear arms. In this informal manner num- 

 bers were, from time to time, discharged. At 

 "Washington, the oath was administered to thir- 

 ty-seven prisoners of war who were confined 

 in the military prisons. The entire number 

 took an oath not to bear arms against the 

 United States, or in any way aid or abet the 

 Confederates during the war. The following 

 is the oath : 



" I, , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I 



will not take up arms against the United States, or 

 serve in any military capacity whatever against them, 

 until regularly discharged according to the usages of 

 war from this obligation. 



"Sworn to and subscribed before me this day 



of , A. D. 1861. , J. P." 



On the 3d of September an interchange of 

 prisoners took place between General Pillow 

 and Colonel Wallace of the United States army. 

 This was followed by a proposition from the 

 Confederate General Polk, to General Grant of 

 the United States army, in terms as follows : 



HEAD-QUAnTEIiS FlRST DIVISION, ) 



WESTERS DEPARTMENT, Oct. 12, 1861. ) 

 To ike Commanding Officer at Cain and Bird's Point : 



I have in my camp a number of prisoners of the 

 Federal Army, and am informed there are prisoners 

 belonging to the Missouri State troops in yours. I 

 propose an exchange of these prisoners, and for thai 

 purpose send Captain Polk, of the Artillery, and Lieu- 

 tenant Smith, of the Infantry, both of the Confederate 

 States Army, with a flag of truce, to deliver to you 

 this communication, and to know your pleasure in re- 

 gard to my proposition. 



The principles recognized in the exchange of pris- 

 oners effected on the third of September, between 

 Brigadier-General Pillow, of the Confederate Army, 

 and Colonel Wallace, of the United States Army, 

 are those I propose as the basis of that now contem- 

 plated. 



Respectfully, your obedient servant, 



L. POLK, 

 Major-General Commanding. 



To which communication General Grant for- 

 warded the following reply : 



HEAD-QUARTERS DEPARTMENT SOUTHEAST ) 

 MISSOURI, CAIKO, Oct. 14, 1861. ) 

 GENERAL : Yours of this date is just received. In 

 regard to an exchange of prisoners, as proposed, I can 

 of my own accordance make none. I recognize no 

 "Southern Confederacy" myself, bnt will communi- 

 cate with higher authorities for their views. Should 

 I not be sustained, I will find means of communicating 

 with you. 



Respectfully, your obedient servant, 



U. S. GRANT, 



Brigadier-General Commanding. 

 To Maj.-Gen. POLK, Columbus, Kentucky. 



The following correspondence shows the 

 manner in which an exchange was effected 

 from Cairo : 



