At that very time and afterward, even to as late as Stoneman's raid, the former agent of exchange was charging against me and receiving credit for captures and paroles similar to those repudiated by Schenck's order. It is due to Lieutenant-Colonel Ludlow that I should say that when the matter was brought to his attention he declared that Schenck's action was without proper authority, and that I would have credit for such as reported for duty under the order. Still the order was not countermanded, but, on the contrary, has been followed and sustained by General Orders, Numbers 207. I have received no returns of such as have reported under Schenck's order and never will.

In your letter of the 24th of September, and others, you refer, in connection with our Gettysburg captures, to "paroles not in accordance with the cartel. " The phrase figures not only in your correspondence, but in the findings of your courts and in some of your general orders. Let me here in the most formal manner assure you that the Confederate Government considers the cartel to be binding and imperative to the fullest extent of any and all of its provisions. I have never asked you to respect a parole which is inconsistent with that instrument. You say the Gettysburg paroles are in contravention of the cartel. Let me give you some of them-all or nearly of them belong to one or the other class:

I, the subscriber, a prisoner of war, captured near Gettysburg, Pa., do give my parole of honor not to take up arms against the Confederate States, or to do any military duty whatever, or to give any information that may be prejudicial to the interests of the same, until regularly exchanged. In the event that this parole is not recognized by the Federal authorities, I give my parole of honor to report to Richmond, Va., as a prisoner of war within thirty days.

JOHN E. PARSONS,

First Lieutenant and Adjutant One hundred and forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers.

I, the subscriber, a prisoner of war, captured near Gettysburg, Pa., do give my parole of honor not to take up arms against the Confederate States, or to do any military duty whatever, or to give any information that may be prejudicial to the interests of the same, until regularly exchanged. This parole is unconditional, and extended to a wounded officer for the sake of humanity, to save a painful and tedious journey to the rear.

ROY STONE,

Colonel One hundred and forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers.

We, the undesigned of the company and regiment opposite our named, do solemnly swear that we will not take up arms against the Confederate States of America until regularly exchanged, in accordance with the cartel, even if required to do so by our Government.

The following-named prisoners, captured near Gettysburg, Pa., are paroled on the following conditions, namely: Not to take up arms against the Confederate States, or do any military duty whatever, or to give any information that may be prejudicial to the same, until regularly exchanged. This parole is unconditional, and if not recognized by the authorities of the United States Government, all pledge themselves to repair to Richmond as prisoners of war at the expiration of twenty days from this date.

Does the cartel contemplated that these officers and men should be returned to duty without exchange? It nowhere says so upon its face. When we were without any cartel all such paroles, and in fact all military paroles, were respected. The very first act of the agents of exchange was to adjust mutual accounts as to the offices and men who had been captured and paroled before the cartel was signed. If it had been intended by the cartel to repudiate such paroles as were given at Gettysburg, or upon any battle-field, a provision to that effect in distinct terms would have been incorporated in it. That instrument was intended to apply to "all prisoners of war held by either party"-to such as were in military depots or prisons-to such