1861 May 21 [Richmond, Va.]

AN ACT
Relative to Prisoners of War.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That all prisoners of war taken, whether on land or at sea, during the pending hostilities with the United States, shall be transferred by the captors, from time to time and as often as convenient, to the Department of War; and it shall be the duty of the Secretary of War, with the approval of the President, to issue such instructions to the Quartermaster General and his subordinates as shall provide for the safe custody and sustenance of prisoners of war; and the rations furnished prisoners of war shall be the same in quantity and quality as those furnished to enlisted men in the army of the Confederacy.

SEC. 2. That the eighth section of the act entitled "An act recognizing the existence of war between the United States and the Confederate States, and concerning Letters of Marque, Prizes and Prize Goods," shall not be so construed as to authorize the holding as prisoners of war the officers or crew of any unarmed vessel, nor any passenger on such vessels, unless such passengers be persons employed in the public service of the enemy.

SEC. 3. That the tenth section of the above recited act shall not be so construed as to allow a bounty for prisoners captured on vessels of the enemy and brought into port, unless such prisoners were captured on board of an armed ship or vessel of the enemy of equal or superior force to that of the private armed vessel making the capture.

APPROVED May 21, 1861.

[stamped on verso]
RECORD DIVISION

REBEL ARCHIVES

WAR DEPARTMENT

McGREGOR A 1861 .C4C62 A26 May 21