down with a flag of truce and place the remains of our late shipmates in security from the attacks of beasts of prey and the vultures, and mark their graves so that when peace in God's time shall visit our unhappy country again their friends may be enabled if they wish it to remove their bones.

Should any of our men in your hands be wounded and require surgical aid, and as you may be without the means of affording it, if you will send them to me that they may receive suitable care and attendance I pledge my honor as an officer and gentleman that as soon as they are convalescent they shall be returned to you to be held as prisoners of war until exchanged or released on parole.

I inclose a letter for Acting Master Curtis which I trust you will not deem it inexpedient to deliver, and hope further that you will allow him to forward me an open report of the circumstances of his capture and the loss we have sustained for transmission to the Department.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. P. COUTHOUY,

Acting Volunteer Lieutenant, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

U. S. BARK KINGFISHER,

Blockading off Saint Mark's, Fla., June 5, 1862.

Acting Master SAMUEL CURTIS,

Prisoner of War at Saint Mark's or Tallahassee.

SIR: I regret deeply to have ascertained that beyond all doubt yourself and the watering party under your charge were overpowered and made prisoners in the Aucilla River on the 2nd instant by a portion of the Confederate forces from Saint Mark's or Tallahassee, and that some of our men were killed in the skirmish and hastily buried by the river side.

I send with this a note to the officer in command at Saint Mark's requesting a pass for a burial party to go down with a flag of truce and give secure interment to the remains of our late shipmates, and also to be allowed to sent the survivors their clothes bags and hammocks and a small sum of money to be placed in your hands to be expended at your discretion for the comfort of all the party.

I have also r any of your party are wounded and suitable surgical aid cannot be given them by your captors they may be sent to this vessel on the pledge of my honor as an officer that on their recovery they shall be returned to be held as prisoners of war until exchaged or released on parole.

I have further asked of the commandant at Saint Mark's that you may be permitted to sent me an open report of the circumstances of your capture for transmission to the Department. Should this request be granted you will be pleased to state briefly the manner in which the capture was effected, and give me the names of our killed and wounded if there be any of the latter.

You will endeavor so far as the situation in which you are placed will permit to preserve the respect and subordination of the men under you charge who continue subject to your orders and the discipline of the service the same as if still on board the ship in all points where they are not controlled by the authority of those who hold them and yourself prisoners. And to this end you will please call their attention to the following extract from section 4, of article 42, of the "Act for the better government of the Navy of the United States: "

And be it further enacted, That all the pay and emoluments of such officers and men of any of the ships or vessels [in which term boats are of course included] of