HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Washington, September 11, 1861.

Honorable SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose a letter to General Dix which, if it meets your approval, I would be glad to have you sign and allow me to send it to General Dix by Allen. * From the best informations I can obtain it would seem necessary to arrest at once the parties named. I have indicated Fort Monroe as their first destination in order to get them away from Baltimore as quietly as possible, and would suggest that they ultimately be sent North.

Very respectfully, yours,

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, U. S. Army.

P. S. - I am informed that the Legislature meets the 14th.

[Inclosure.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, September 11, 1861.

Major General JOHN A. DIX, U. S. Army, Baltimore, Md.

GENERAL: You are directed to arrest fortwith the following-named persons, viz: T. Parkin Scott, S. Teackle Wallis, Henry M. Warfield, F. Key Howard, Thomas W. Hall, Jr., and Henry May,+ and to keep them in close custody, suffering no one to communicate with them, and to convey them at once to Fortress Monroe there to remain in close custody until they shall be forwarded to their ultimore destimation. You will also seize their papers and cause them to be carefully examined. The exigencies of the Government demand a prompt and successful execution of this order. You will please report your proceedings at once to this Department. Mr. E. J. Allen is sent to take the immediate charge of the arrests and examination of papers under your general control, and you will please furnish him the necessary military force.

I am, sir, very, &c.,

SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, September 11, 1861.

Major General N. P. BANKS,

Commanding, near Darnestown, Md.

GENERAL: The passage of any act of secession by the Legislature of Maryland must be prevented. If necessary all or any part of the members

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* Allan Pinkerton, who under the assumed name of E. J. Allen was chief of McClellan's secret service force. See McClellan's report, pp. 51, 52, Series I, Vol. V. - COMPILER.

+ After this volume was in type access was happily obtained by consent of Honorable Walter Q. Gresham, Secretary of State, to the archives of the Department of State, and many valuable documents found relating to various Maryland arrests which do not appear herein. For the cases of May, Howard, Hall, Dr. Charles Macgill and miscellaneous correspondence relating to other Maryland prisoners of state see Vol. II, this Series. - COMPILER.

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