Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/584

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Southern Historical Society Papers.

(d.) They refused to exchange sick and wounded.

(e.) After all efforts at effecting an exchange, or at mitigating the sufferings of prisoners had failed, Judge Ouid in August, 1864, proposed that if they would send transportation to Savannah he would turn over to them, without equivalent, from ten to fifteen thousand prisoners. He acompanied this proposition with a statement of the fearful mortality at Andersonville, assured the authorities that it was from causes which the Confederacy could not control, and repeatedly urged the prompt acceptance of his proposition. And yet this humane offer was not accepted until December; and during this period the greatest mortality occurred at Andersonville.

Add these points to the admission of Professor Richardson, that the United States Government was responsible for the failure of exchanges, and it will be seen that the "crime of Andersonville," and of Elmira, lies not at our door, but was a part of the cruel war policy of Secretary Stanton.