Quincy A. Gillmore to P.G.T. Beauregard, August 5, 1863

General G. T. BEAUREGARD, Commanding Confederate Forces, Charleston, S. C.:

GENERAL: Your two letters of the 22d ultimo, one of them being in reply to mine of the 18th, have been received. ‘

You express yourself at a loss to perceive the necessity for m statement that I should expect full compliance on your part wit the usages of war among civilized nations, “‘in their unrestricted application to all the forces under my command.” —

At that time I cousidered my remarks as pertinent and proper.

38 8. C. AND G. A. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E, FLA. [Cuar. X. L.

Events that have since transpired show them to have been eminently so, for, after having entered into a solemn agreement with me for mutually paroling and returning to their respective commands the wounded prisoners in our hands, you declined to return the wounded officers and men belonging to my colored regiments, and your subordinate in charge of the exchange asserted that that question had been left for after-consideration. I can but regard this transaction as a palpable breach of faith on your part, and a flagrant violation of your pledges as an officer.

In your second letter of the 22d ultimo, you request me to return to you Private Thomas Green, of Company H, First [Regular] Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, for the alleged reason that he left your lines on the 19th, during the suspension of hostilities under a flag of truce.

I beg leave to state that you are laboring under a misapprehension. Private Green did not enter my lines during the existence of a fla of truce. It is true that, under a flag of truce on the = pefecedl to, I requested permission of the officer in command of Fort Wagner to receive and bury my own dead, a request which was refused me, and then the truce ended. I refrained from opening my batteries on that day because some of my own wounded were seen lying just outside the fort, in plain view, exposed to a burning sun throughout the entire day.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,