andersonville-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


buildings　and　retreat　from　the　City；　by　the　south　side　of　the　James；
where　there　was　but　a　scanty　force　of　Rebels；　and　more　could　be　prevented
from　coming　over　by　burning　the　bridges　behind　us。

It　was　a　magnificent　scheme；　and　might　have　been　carried　out；　but　there
was　no　one　in　the　building　who　was　generally　believed　to　have　the
qualities　of　a　leader。

But　while　it　was　being　debated　a　few　of　the　hot　heads　on　the　lower　floor
undertook　to　precipitate　the　crisis。　　They　seized　what　they　thought　was　a
favorable　opportunity；　overpowered　the　guard　who　stood　at　the　foot　of　the
stairs；　and　poured　into　the　street。　　The　other　guards　fell　back　and
opened　fire　on　them；　other　troops　hastened　up；　and　soon　drove　them　back
into　the　building；　after　killing　ten　or　fifteen。　　We　of　the　second　and
third　floors　did　not　anticipate　the　break　at　that　time；　and　were　taken　as
much　by　surprise　as　were　the　Rebels。　　Nearly　all　were　lying　down　and
many　were　asleep。　　Some　hastened　to　the　windows；　and　dropped　missiles
out；　but　before　any　concerted　action　could　be　taken　it　was　seen　that　the
case　was　hopeless；　and　we　remained　quiet。

Among　those　who　led　in　the　assault　was　a　drummer…boy　of　some　New　York
Regiment；　a　recklessly　brave　little　rascal。　　He　had　somehow　smuggled　a
small　four…shooter　in　with　him；　and　when　they　rushed　out　he　fired　it　off
at　the　guards。

After　the　prisoners　were　driven　back；　the　Rebel　officers　came　in　and
vapored　around　considerably；　but　confined　themselves　to　big　words。　　They
were　particularly　anxious　to　find　the　revolver；　and　ordered　a　general　and
rigorous　search　for　it。　　The　prisoners　were　all　ranged　on　one　side　of　the
room　and　carefully　examined　by　one　party；　while　another　hunted　through
the　blankets　and　bundles。　　It　was　all　in　vain；　no　pistol　could　be　found。
The　boy　had　a　loaf　of　wheat　bread；　bought　from　a　baker　during　the　day。
It　was　a　round　loaf；　set　together　in　two　pieces　like　a　biscuit。　　He
pulled　these　apart；　laid　the　fourshooter　between　them；　pressed　the　two
halves　together；　and　went　on　calmly　nibbling　away　at　the　loaf　while　the
search　was　progressing。

Two　gunboats　were　brought　up　the　next　morning；　and　anchored　in　the　canal
near　us；　with　their　heavy　guns　trained　upon　the　building。　　It　was　thought
that　this　would　intimidate　as　from　a　repetition　of　the　attack；　but　our
sailors　conceived　that；　as　they　laid　against　the　shore　next　to　us；　they
could　be　easily　captured；　and　their　artillery　made　to　assist　us。
A　scheme　to　accomplish　this　was　being　wrought　out；　when　we　received
notice　to　move；　and　it　came　to　naught。




CHAPTER　X。

THE　EXCHANGE　AND　THE　CAUSE　OF　ITS　INTERRUPTIONBRIEF　RESUME　OF　THE
DIFFERENT　CARTELS；　AND　THE　DIFFICULTIES　THAT　LED　TO　THEIR　SUSPENSION。

Few　questions　intimately　connected　with　the　actual　operations　of　the
Rebellion　have　been　enveloped　with　such　a　mass　of　conflicting　statement
as　the　responsibility　for　the　interruption　of　the　exchange。　　Southern
writers　and　politicians；　naturally　anxious　to　diminish　as　much　as
possible　the　great　odium　resting　upon　their　section　for　the　treatment　of
prisoners　of　war　during　the　last　year　and　a　half　of　the　Confederacy's
existence；　have　vehemently　charged　that　the　Government　of　the　United
States　deliberately　and　pitilessly　resigned　to　their　fate　such　of　its
soldiers　as　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　and　repelled　all　advances
from　the　Rebel　Government　looking　toward　a　resumption　of　exchange。　　It　is
alleged　on　our　side；　on　the　other　hand；　that　our　Government　did　all　that
was　possible；　consistent　with　National　dignity　and　military　prudence；
to　secure　a　release　of　its　unfortunate　men　in　the　power　of　the　Rebels。

Over　this　vexed　question　there　has　been　waged　an　acrimonious　war　of
words；　which　has　apparently　led　to　no　decision；　nor　any　convictionsthe
disputants；　one　and　all；　remaining　on　the　sides　of　the　controversy
occupied　by　them　when　the　debate　began。

I　may　not　be　in　possession　of　all　the　facts　bearing　upon　the　case；　and
may　be　warped　in　judgment　by　prejudices　in　favor　of　my　own　Government's
wisdom　and　humanity；　but；　however　this　may　be；　the　following　is　my　firm
belief　as　to　the　controlling　facts　in　this　lamentable　affair：

1。　　For　some　time　after　the　beginning　of　hostilities　our　Government
refused　to　exchange　prisoners　with　the　Rebels；　on　the　ground　that　this
might　be　held　by　the　European　powers　who　were　seeking　a　pretext　for
acknowledging　the　Confederacy；　to　be　admission　by　us　that　the　war　was　no
longer　an　insurrection　but　a　revolution；　which　had　resulted　in　the　'de
facto'　establishment　of　a　new　nation。　　This　difficulty　was　finally　gotten
over　by　recognizing　the　Rebels　as　belligerents；　which；　while　it　placed
them　on　a　somewhat　different　plane　from　mere　insurgents；　did　not　elevate
them　to　the　position　of　soldiers　of　a　foreign　power。

2。　　Then　the　following　cartel　was　agreed　upon　by　Generals　Dig　on　our　side
and　Hill　on　that　of　the　Rebels：

HAXALL'S　LANDING；　ON　JAMES　RIVER；　July　22；　1882。

The　undersigned；　having　been　commissioned　by　the　authorities　they
respectively　represent　to　make　arrangements　for　a　general　exchange　of
prisoners　of　war；　have　agreed　to　the　following　articles：

ARTICLE　I。It　is　hereby　agreed　and　stipulated；　that　all　prisoners　of
war；　held　by　either　party；　including　those　taken　on　private　armed
vessels；　known　as　privateers；　shall　be　exchanged　upon　the　conditions　and
terms　following：

Prisoners　to　be　exchanged　man　for　man　and　officer　for　officer。
Privateers　to　be　placed　upon　the　footing　of　officers　and　men　of　the　navy。

Men　and　officers　of　lower　grades　may　be　exchanged　for　officers　of　a
higher　grade；　and　men　and　officers　of　different　services　may　be　exchanged
according　to　the　following　scale　of　equivalents：

A　General…commanding…in…chief；　or　an　Admiral；　shall　be　exchanged　for
officers　of　equal　rank；　or　for　sixty　privates　or　common　seamen。

A　Commodore；　carrying　a　broad　pennant；　or　a　Brigadier　General；　shall　be
exchanged　for　officers　of　equal　rank；　or　twenty　privates　or　common
seamen。

A　Captain　in　the　Navy；　or　a　Colonel；　shall　be　exchanged　for　officers　of
equal　rank；　or　for　fifteen　privates　or　common　seamen。

A　Lieutenant　Colonel；　or　Commander　in　the　Navy；　shall　be　exchanged　for
officers　of　equal　rank；　or　for　ten　privates　or　common　seamen。

A　Lieutenant；　or　a　Master　in　the　Navy；　or　a　Captain　in　the　Army　or
marines　shall　be　exchanged　for　officers　of　equal　rank；　or　six　privates　or
common　seamen。

Master's…mates　in　the　Navy；　or　Lieutenants　or　Ensigns　in　the　Army；　shall
be　exchanged　for　officers　of　equal　rank；　or　four　privates　or　common
seamen。　　Midshipmen；　warrant　officers　in　the　Navy；　masters　of　merchant
vessels　and　commanders　of　privateers；　shall　be　exchanged　for　officers　of
equal　rank；　or　three　privates　or　common　seamen；　Second　Captains；
Lieutenants　or　mates　of　merchant　vessels　or　privateers；　and　all　petty
officers　in　the　Navy；　and　all　noncommissioned　officers　in　the　Army　or
marines；　shall　be　severally　exchanged　for　persons　of　equal　rank；　or　for
two　privates　or　common　seamen；　and　private　soldiers　or　common　seamen
shall　be　exchanged　for　each　other　man　for　man。

ARTICLE　II。Local；　State；　civil　and　militia　rank　held　by　persons　not　in
actual　military　service　will　not　be　recognized；　the　basis　of　exchange
being　the　grade　actually　held　in　the　naval　and　military　service　of　the
respective　parties。

ARTICLE　III。If　citizens　held　by　either　party　on　charges　of　disloyalty；
or　any　alleged　civil　offense；　are　exchanged；　it　shall　only　be　for
citizens。　　Captured　sutlers；　teamsters；　and　all　civilians　in　the　actual
service　of　either　party；　to　be　exchanged　for　persons　in　similar
positions。

ARTICLE　IV。All　prisoners　of　war　to　be　discharged　on　parole　in　ten　days
after　their　capture；　and　the　prisoners　now　held；　and　those　hereafter
taken；　to　be　transported　to　the　points　mutually　agreed　upon；　at　the
expense　of　the　capturing　party。　　The　surplus　prisoners　not　exchanged
shall　not　be　permitted　to　take　up　arms　again；　nor　to　serve　as　military
police　or　constabulary　force　in　any　fort；　garrison　or　field…work；　held　by
either　of　the　respective　parties；　nor　as　guards　of　prisoners；　deposits　or
stores；　nor　to　discharge　any　duty　usually　performed　by　soldiers；　until
exchanged　under　the　provisions　of　this　cartel。　　The　exchange　is　not　to　be
considered　complete　until　the　officer　or　soldier　exchanged　for　has　been
actually　restored　to　the　lines　to　which　he　belongs。

ARTICLE　V。Each　party　upon　the　discharge　of　prisoners　of　the　other　party
is　authorized　to　discharge　an　equal　number　of　their　own　officers　or　men
from　parole；　furnishing；　at　the　same　time；　to　the　other　party　a　list　of
their　prisoners　discharged；　and　of　their　own　officers　and　men　relieved
from　parole；　thus　enabling　each　party　to　relieve　from　parole　such　of
their　officers　and　men　as　the　party　may　choose。　　The　lists　thus　mutually
furnished；　will　keep　both　parties　advised　of　the　true　condition　of　the
exchange　of　prisoners。

ARTICLE　VI。The　stipulations　and　provisions　above　mentioned　to　be　of
binding　obligation　during　the　continuance　of　the　war；　it　matters　not
which　party　may　have　the　surplus　of　prisoners；　the　great　principles
involved　being；　First；　An　equitable　exchange　of　prisoners；　man　for　man；
or