have released Captain De Lagnel from his parole and notified General Wool that Captain Ricketts was released by the exchange.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. HUGER,

Major- General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS, Salisbury, N. C., December 20, 1861.

Honorable SECRETARY OF WAR.

SIR: As I am commander of this post by appointment of the Governor of this State I hope you will do me the favor to answer the following points: First. Am I to report to you in reference to the prisoners and other matters connected with the post! Second. Am I to be recognized by you as commander of the post! If so am I to continue as captain or will you give me a higher grade! I think if a hgher officer is to be apointed my position, age and experience would give me some consideration. The Governor of this State does not know your intentions on this subject. Third. As commander of the post I have two companies. Will you pay a chaplain a small salary! We have a man every way suitable if you grant the privilege. I have organized the post (command) and am ready to receive a large number of prisoners, but the building is not ready. We have received 119 from Raleigh. Answers to the above would enable me toact definitely.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. CRAVEN,

Capain, Commanding.

RICHMOND, December 20, 1861.

Governor J. G. SHORTER, Montgomery, Ala.:

I shall send no more prisoners to TUscaloosa. Never thought of seizeing asylum.

J. P. BENJAMIN, S

ecretary of War.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Montgomery, Ala., December 21, 1861.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War.

SIR: I have your dispatch of yesterday, inwhich you say: "I shall send no more prisoners to Tuscaloosa. never thought of seizing asylum. "

In explanation of my dispatch of the 19th I beg to say that on thtat day I received a letter from Dr. P. Bryce, medical supeintendent of the insane hospital at Tuscaloosa, dated the 16th instant, in which he wrote among other things the following sentence:

Dr. Searey, the president of our board of trustees, told me this morning that the officer commanding the guard stated to him that he had received a dispartch authorizing him to seize any and every available house for the purposes of the prisoners, and if necessary occupy the insne hospital.

I did not believe that such a dispatch had been issued by your direction, but I could not doubt the verity of the statement made to me or that sucha dispatch had been received by your officer who affirmed that he had received it.