were taken, to be dealt with according to the stringent law punishing the incitement of servile insurrection.  Our Government could not permit this for a day.  It was bound by every consideration of National honor to protect those who wore its uniform and bore its flag.  The Rebel Government was promptly informed that rebel officers and men would be held as hostages for the proper treatment of such members of colored regiments as might be taken.

4.  This discussion did not put a stop to the exchange, but while it was going on Vicksburg was captured, and the battle of Gettysburg was fought.  The first placed one of the exchange points in our hands.  At the opening of the fight at Gettysburg Lee captured some six thousand Pennsylvania militia.  He sent to Meade to have these exchanged on the field of battle.  Meade declined to do so for two reasons:  first, because it was against the cartel, which prescribed that prisoners must be reduced to possession; and second, because he was anxious to have Lee hampered with such a body of prisoners, since it was very doubtful if he could get his beaten army back across the Potomac, let alone his prisoners.  Lee then sent a communication to General Couch, commanding the Pennsylvania militia, asking him to receive prisoners on parole, and Couch, not knowing what Meade had done, acceded to the request.  Our Government disavowed Couch’s action instantly, and ordered the paroles to be treated as of no force, whereupon the Rebel Government ordered back into the field twelve thousand of the prisoners captured by Grant’s army at Vicksburg.

5.  The paroling now stopped abruptly, leaving in the hands of both sides the prisoners captured at Gettysburg, except the militia above mentioned.  The Rebels added considerably to those in their hands by their captures at Chickamauga, while we gained a great many at Mission Ridge, Cumberland Gap and elsewhere, so that at the time we arrived in Richmond the Rebels had about fifteen thousand prisoners in their hands and our Government had about twenty-five thousand.

6.  The rebels now began demanding that the prisoners on both sides be exchanged—­man for man—­as far as they went, and the remainder paroled.  Our Government offered to exchange man for man, but declined—­on account of the previous bad faith of the Rebels—­to release the balance on parole.  The Rebels also refused to make any concessions in regard to the treatment of officers and men of colored regiments.

7.  At this juncture General B. F. Butler was appointed to the command of the Department of the Blackwater, which made him an ex-officio Commissioner of Exchange.  The Rebels instantly refused to treat with him, on the ground that he was outlawed by the proclamation of Jefferson Davis.  General Butler very pertinently replied that this only placed him nearer their level, as Jefferson Davis and all associated with him in the Rebel Government had been outlawed by the proclamation of President Lincoln.  The Rebels scorned to notice this home thrust by the Union General.