To William H. Ludlow1Jump to section
Col. Ludlow Executive Mansion,
Fort-Monroe. Washington, June 1. 1863.
Richardson & Browne, correspondents of the Tribune, captured at Vicksburg, are detained at Richmond. Please ascertain why they are detained, & get them off if you can. A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ALS, RPB. On May 26, Sydney H. Gay, editor of the New York Tribune, wrote Lincoln as follows:
``Two of the correspondents of The Tribune, Messrs. A. D. Richardson & Junius Browne, with a Mr. [Richard T.] Colburn of The World, were taken prisoners, not long ago, in an attempt to run by Vicksburg in a tug. They were . . . paroled . . . in due form, & sent forward to Richmond. There the World correspondent was permitted to pass on unmolested, doubtless, because he belonged to the World, while the Tribune men, in spite of the parole, were thrust into prison & are still detained there.
``A word of remonstrance from the Government on so flagrant a breach of faith, might, perhaps, right this wrong. . . .''
Lieutenant Colonel Ludlow, agent for exchange of prisoners, replied the same day that ``Everything will be done that can be done to obtain the release of the parties named.'' (OR, II, V, 723). Later references in the Official Records show that Browne and Richardson were still imprisoned in January, 1865.