has been to restrain the number of volunteers, and if there be any cases of involuntary enlistment they must have occurred under misapprehension of the facts.

It has been deemed proper to make these suggestions from a disposition to exhibit the most friendly relations with Great Britain and because it is necessary to state that all the troops of the State of Virginia having been transferred to the Government of the Confederate States under a convention between the two governments the State has no control over the cases referred to in your letter. It is therefore respectfully suggested that these cases be referred to the Government of the Confederate State for consideration and action.

Very respectfully,

GEORGE W. MUNFORD,

Secretary of the Commonwealth.

RICHMOND, July 4, 1861.

Brigadier-General WINDER:

SIR: I have the honor to report that in pursuance to an order sent me by the Secretary of the Navy I delivered to a police officer the bodies of the twenty white and black sailors captured* by Captain Hollins on the 29th of June in Chesapeake Bay. I have now ten prisoners of war.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. S. ARCHER,

Lieutenant, C. S. Army.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, July 5, 1861.

Captain M. D. BALL, Fairfax Court-House, Va.

SIR: In reply to your letter of the 28th of June the Secretary of War directs me to say if it be true that you have taken an oath not to bear arms against the United States there is no way in which this Department can properly consider you a prisoner of war, having been discharged upon that oath by the United States Governmnent.

Respectfully,

A. T. BLEDSOE.

Chief of Bureau of War.

HEADQUARTERS, Richmond, Va., July 5, 1861.

Brigadier General J. H. WINDER,
Acting Inspector-General, C. S. Army, Richmond, Va.

GENERAL: The President has learned that the crew of the privateer Savannah has been indicted by the grand jury of New York for treason and piracy, which he views as indicating an intention of not considering them as prisoners of war. I have consequently been directed to recall the paroles granted to Lieutenant-Colonel Bowman and Captains Kellogg and Chase, belonging to the Army of the Uninted States Government, and to place them with the rest of the prisoners of war in close confinement. You are therfore instructed to demand the written paroles given to the officers named, and to express to them the regret felt at depriving them of privileges which it would have been

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*See case of Zarvona, Vol. II, this Series, p. 379 et seq.

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44 R R-SERIES II, VOL III