I am not aware that your wounded in our hospital are suffering for the want of medical stores, but can assure you that they will receive the same attention as our own.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, June 11, 1862.

COMMANDER OF THE STEAM TRANSPOST OCEAN QUEEN.

SIR: You will receive on board your steamer the bodies of Pierre Soule and Adolphe Mazureau, prisoners and accused of treason and other high crimes and misdemeanors, and deliver them safely to the marshal of the United States at New York, or whatever other port you may be ordered to make. The marshal of the United States is required to hold the said Soule and Mazureau until further orders of the Secretary of War.

By order of Major-General Butler:

R. S. DAVIS,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE SOUTHWEST,
Batesville, Ark., June 11, 1862.

Major General T. C. HINDMAN,

Commanding Confederate Army.

GENERAL: Your letter of the 8th instant stating that you had been informed I was going to hang men who had fired on U. S. soldiers in Izard County and that I had published an order declaring this a war of extermination, and as the probability of such reports being true expressing a remarkable zeal on your part to avenge such conduct by "hanging every Federal officer and soldier" you hold, and declaring that you will "put to death without mercy every soldier and citizen of the United States who falls into my (your) hands," is duly received.

As there is no truth in the reports you have received of my threat to hang or exterminate the terrible vengeance so lavishly avowed by you will not require notice. There was a company of about seventy rebel soldiers attacked by my body guard in Izard County and twenty-two taken prisoners; 50 guns, 20 revolevers and some 20 bowie-knives were taken. They were supposed to be regularly organized troops and sent to the rear as prisoners of war.

To prevent this war descending into one of rapine and assassinations I have published the following order* which I inted to apply to such unauthorized bands as General Price in a former negotiation with me refused to exchange as prisoners of war because they were private marauders. I will call your attention to the conduct of some of your soldiers wh recently robbed and burned the house of Mr. Peoples, who fled to the Union flag for shelter. I have heard of many threats and have proof of innumerable acts of barbarity by your troops which I trust will receive proper attention on your part, so that your soldiers may not extend that species of warfare which you graphically enunciate. The U. S. soldiers are here to restore peace, not to invade

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*Not found; but see Series I, Vol. VIII, p. 577.

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