generously stood forth in the defense of the country should for any act made criminal by military law be subject against their will to the ignominious punishment of confinement in the penitentiary, against which the feelings of every spirited man must revolt. Besides if it shall turn out that military courts-martial have not the power to sentence to the penitentiary the warden must be exposed to numerous suits which the Government in good faith must defend against.

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

CALEB B. SMITH,

Secretary.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 2, 1862.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

SIR: I have the honor to inform you in answer to your letter of the 30th ultimo that this Department has given no order whatever concerning Henry Myers, late of the Sumter, now imprisoned at fort Warren. It does not consider him a naval prisoner.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

GIDEON WELLES.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 2, 1862.

Honorable HENRY GRIDER, House of Representatives.

SIR: The Secretary of War directs me to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 29th ultimo inquiring whether our citizens confined at Salisbury, N. C., have been released, and to inform you in reply that the Department has no recent information as to these prisoners but that arrangements have been made by which it is expected that all of our citizens now held as prisoners of war by the rebels will soon be released under the operation of a general exchange.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 2, 1862.

GEORGE D. PRENTICE, Louisville, Ky.

SIR: Your letter of the 18th ultimo stating that you understand Major Coffey, recently captured on a railroad train by Morgan's banditti and released on parole, has gone to Washington to get himself exchanged for Major Robert C. Wood, Morgan's second in command, and protesting against the exchange or parole of this officer has been received. In reply the Secretary of War directs me to inform you that it has never been the intention of the Government to release Robert C. Wood. His application for release through his friends has been made and refused.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. H. WATSON, Assistant Secretary of War.

FORT MONROE, June 2, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

I sent yesterday under a flag of truce eighty-five privateersmen to Major-General Huger to be paroled or exchanged on condition that the