is one in which our enemies would be certainly victorius. let us adhere to all the usages of civilezed warfare in spite of all provaocations, except so far as may be absolutely necessary, by way of retaliation, in order to ptotect our own people.

4. I understand from General Cooper (but he has omitted to send me the papers, and his office is now closed for the night) that the enemy will exchnge De Lagnel for Ricketts. I will look into the matter in the morning and order RIcketts sent down to you.

Your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War.

P. S. - Since writing the foregoing I have seen your letter of the 13th and will send down Captain Ricketts at once. The Governor of VIrginia writes me he will appoint Captain De Lagnel lieutenatn- colonel, so that he may take command at Craney Island as you desire.

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War.

[RICHMOND], December 16, 1861.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War.

SIR: I respectfully ask your attention to the following case and its favorable consideration: Some time in August last, I believe, a young man in the Loudoun Cavalry, Arthur Dawson, was with five otehrs surrounded and captured by the enemy. The tender years and estimable character of this young man induced many persons at the time to interest themselves to procure his exchange. He was one of the eree sons of a widow lady (all of whom were inour service), and his mother who resided immediately betweenthe lines of the two armys near Leesburg excited by her bereaved and distrssed condition the sympathy of the officers of both. COlonel Geary, commanding a Pennsylvania regiment opposite Leesburg, had been in former years when an officer on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad a guest at the house of this lady and seemed to retin some recollection of her foremr kindness to him. He offered at the time to seccure the exchange of young Dawson for one Henry Johnson, of New Hampshire, and prisoner of BUll Run. On the other hand COlonel Hunton, of t he Eighth Virgina Regiment (near Leesburg), endeavored to obtain the consent of this Deaprtment to the exchange. The letter* of COlonel Hunton (on file) and another* from Lieutenant Pearce on the same subject are herein inclosed. The answers to the same are onour letter books.

The application was then refused on grounds stated in the reply, as the United States Government had not then recognized any exchanges. Since, however, exchanges have been of late effected in many instances by mutual consent. I lately wrote to the motehr, Mrs. Dawson, who is a cousin of my (late) father and said that if COlonel Geary would renew his propsition I hoped there might now be a better cahnce of success. . I have just received her reply, from which I append an extract:

I am deligou that COlonel Geary is not only willing but anxious to make the exchange. He says if assurances willbe sent to yim from the proper authorites in Richmond that such can be done he will have Arthur brought to him at the Point of ROcks 9Potomac, Loudoun County) in exchange for his man Pratt,

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*Not found.

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