desire that they recall the oath they
have taken; if the _latter_ is the case, then let the oath stand,
and upon those who have aroused this spirit by their atrocities,
and upon the government and people who sanction it, be the
consequences.

In regard to your inquiry relating to prisoners of your command
in our hands, I have to state that they have always received the
treatment which a great and humane Government extends to its
prisoners. What course will be pursued hereafter toward them
must, of course, depend on circumstances that may arise. If your
command, hereafter, does nothing which should properly exclude
them from being treated as prisoners of war, they will be so
treated.

I thank you for your offer to exchange wounded officers and men
in your hands. If you will send them in, I will exchange man for
man, so far as I have the ability to do so.

Before closing this letter, I wish to call your attention to one
case of unparalleled outrage and murder that has been brought to
my notice, and in regard to which the evidence is overwhelming.

Among the prisoners captured at Fort Pillow was Major Bradford,
who had charge of the defence of the fort after the fall of Major
Booth.

After being taken prisoner, he was started with other prisoners
of war, in charge of Colonel Duckworth, for Jackson. At
Brownsville they rested over night. The following morning two
companies were detailed by Colonel Duckworth to proceed to
Jackson with the prisoners.

After they had started, and proceeded a very short distance, five
soldiers were recalled by Colonel Duckworth, and were conferred
with by him; they then rejoined the column, and after proceeding
about five miles from Brownsville the column was halted, and
Major Bradford taken about fifty yards from the roadside and
deliberately shot by the five men who had been recalled by
Colonel Duckworth, and his body left unburied upon the ground
where he fell.

He now lies buried near the spot, and, if you desire, you can
easily satisfy yourself of the truth of what I assert. I beg
leave to say to you that this transaction hardly justifies your
remark, that your operations have been conducted on civilized
principles, and until you take some steps to bring the
perpetrators of this outr