until within a few days. It is now snowing and sleeting and promises to settle with us for past faovrs. The papers are intensely interesting to us at all times, but expecially so now.

Cnnot Congressman Ely be exchnged for Commodore Barron! I trust so. The honorable gentleman will approve the project at least. Your very ardent friend Captain Lamb, of Martin, s ends his special regards. Our hopes [are] for a speedy release, and theyare stro gly based upon the discharge of the equivalent of our comapniouns who have gone home. Sharp, Wise and Jul Moore are very well. I shall be very glad to hear from you if we do not leave verysoon My regards to my old friends Davis and Dortch; tender to them my congratulations.

Most truly,

H. A. GILLIAM.

NASHVILLE, TENN., December 23, 1861.

Colonel W. W. MACKALL, Assistant Adjutant-General.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that thirty- three prisoners of war arrived here yesterday from General Zollicoffer's command. Among the prisoners Major Helveti and Captain Prime, of the U. S . Engineer Corps.

Resepctfully, your obedientr servant,

A. J. LINDSAY,

Captain, COmmandign Post.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, December 24, 1861.

Captain B. CRAVEN, Salisbury, N. C.

SIR: Your letter of 20th instant has beenrecieved. The Governor of North Carolina at request of this Deaprtment was kind enough to undertake the raising of a certain number of volunteers for special service under the act of COngress for that purpose. (See act Numbers 229, third ses ion, 21st Augsut, 1861.) The volunteers so raised are toform companies to be musterd into the service of the Confederate States. The first thing to be done is to send to this Deaprtment the muster rolls, showing that your company has been mstered into service according to the law above cited.

If the troosp at Salisbury have not yet been musterdd into service you will please request Captain McCoy, our assistant quartermaster there, to muster you all into service an send the muster- rolls here, specifying the service forwhich you enlist, viz: "The war or three years. " As soon as this is done Iwill proceed to organize the command and send proper instructions. If the Governor deems you the best person to assume commadnsend me his recommendation to that effect and it will have respectful consideration. In the meantime you are authorized to act under the Governor's appointment, but you authority does not extend over the quartermaster wehavesent there until othewise ordered by this Deaprtment.

Your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War.

P. S . - I am wiling to appoint a suitable cahplain for the post.

J. P. B.