an opportunity of indicating what payments should be made from this increasing fund, and I have been excluded by this self-constituted council and have no opportunity of making such appropriations as was understood when you visited Indianapolis. There has been no unpleasantness with regard to this business, but it requires remedy and I trust my suggestion will meet your approval.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES A. EKIN,

Assistant Quartermaster, U. S. Army.

FORT WARREN, Boston Harbor, May 21, 1862.

General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

SIR: Mrs. vogdes has requested me to write to the honorable Secretary of War begging him to allow Major G. B. Cosby, of C. S. Army, to be exchanged for her husband, Major Israel Vogdes, of the First U. S. Artillery, formerly a hostage but now a prisoner of war at Richmond. The major writes to his wife that the Confederate authorities have promised to exchange him for a major in the C. S. Army. If the Secretary would authorize me to give Major G. B. Cosby the like assurance I have to Captains Sheliha and Chipley, by authority of letter from Adjutant-General's Office of the 14th of may in case in Captains Gibbs and McNally, I am sure Major Vogdes' exchange would be very soon effected. He writes that his health has suffered very much by his long confinement.

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

J. DIMICK,

Colonel, Commanding First Regiment of Artillery.

FORT WARREN, Boston Harbor, May 21, 1862.

General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

SIR: At the urgent request of six of the privateer Beauregard's crew that I would lay their case before the honorable Secretary of War I have to report that they say they are Union men and happened to be at the South when the war broke out and could not get away. They give various reasons for being found on board the privateer which if believed would show that they are innocent. The letter of one is herewith inclosed. I have satisfactory evidence that two belong to Philadelphia. One of the two has a family and the other a mother living there. They all desire to take the oath of allegiance and return to their families in the Northern States. The rest of the crew, twenty-one in number, are undoubtedly rebels.

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

J. DIMICK,

Colonel First Artillery, Commanding Post.

[Inclosure.]

FORT WARREN, May 21, 1862.

Colonel DIMICK.

DEAR SIR: My being quite deaf I have to write to you to make my statement to you of my being a Union man and a resident of New Yrok for twenty-eight years. I have been unfortunate to be in a place and