commanding this department, under the condition that a like number of prisoners captured by your forces from us should be returned to within our lines, subject of course to similar obligations required by us of your men, to wit, an oath not to engage in any service against the Government of the United States till regularly exchanged by the authority of our Government.

If these terms are satisfactory to you we will hold your men ready for transfer to your lines upon any day that you will notify us that the prisoenrs captured from ourselves will be ready to be returned to us and at such point as you may then select.

I would state that I refer more particularly to about seventeen men whom we understand to have been captured by your forces on or about the 31st of March at or near Wilmington Island and to two men of our naval service understood to have been wounded and captured near New Smyrna, Fla., at about the same time that Lieutenants Budd and Mather (whose remains have been returned to us) were killed.

This will be transmitted by the hands of Captain A. B. Ely, my assistant adjutant-general.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. BENHAM,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 9, 1862.

Colonel JUSTIN DIMICK, Fort Warren, Boston.

COLONEL: I have received Mr. Tunstall's letter of the 7th instant with your indorsement, and in reply have to inform you that he may be released upon the parole which accompanied the communication.

Iam, your very obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

MADISON, WIS., May 9, 1862.

Lieutenant-Colonel HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

COLONEL: The three surgeons who arrived from Camp Douglas to-day (Messrs. Greenlee, Johnson and Oliver) refuse to perform any duty in the hospital because they are not to be allowed to leave the camp. I have accordingly confined them in Dr. Martin's room in the large hospital building until I can hear from you as to their further disposal. I have allowed them their bedding (which they brought) but withheld their trunks, &c., for to-night. Shall I send them back? I fear it would be easy for them to escape here if they have the range of the grounds. I await your instructions. Can you send them to me by telegraph?

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. S. SMITH,

Major Twelfth Infantry.

HDQRS. CONFEDERATE FORCES, MIL. DIST. OF GEORGIA,
Savannah, May 9, 1862.

Brigadier General H. W. BENHAM,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Hilton Head, S. C.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt this day by flag of truce of your note of the 8th instant informing me that upon the surrender of Fort Pulaski on the 11th ultimo it was arranged that certain