their homes at once on terms of equal exchange, andwith that view to confer with Mesrs. Ames and Fish at Fort Monroe, anticipating that you will previously transmit to me such safeguard as will secure their protection. If this, however, should not be accptable to you I will accede to any arrangment you may desire for the meeting of these four gentlemen on a cartel vessel as is usual between belligerent powers on such occasions.

I am, v eryrespectfully, yur obedient servant,

HEADUQARTERS DEPARTMENT, Numbers 1.

New Orleans, La., February 6, 1862.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War.

SIR: * * * *

3. The Federal prisoners, 493 in number, will leave to- day for Slisbury, N. C., pursuant to telegraphic order from General Cooper. * * *

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. LOVELL,

Major - General, Commanding.

HEADUQARTERS WESTERN DEAPRTMENT,

Bowling Green, Ky., Febraury 6, 1862.

Brigadier General T. C. HINDMAN,

Commanding Advance Guard, C entral Army of Kentucky.

GENERAL: I inclose to you copies of a letter from Brigadier G en D. C. Buell, U. S . Army, toGeneral Johnston, and the reply of the latter. * General Johnston directs that the letter to General Buell be sent under a flag to the outposts of the U. S . Army and that wehn you are notified that an officer of corresponding rank is ready to meet you you porceed to such place as you may mutuially agree upona and deraw up a convention for a general exchange of prisoenrs on the basis offered by General Buell and accepted by GenerL Johnston. The proposition of General Johnston to remove the medical officers of the Army from the list of prisoners of war commends itself so clearly on the grounds of humnity that he does notdoubt that it will be acceded towith such proper resturctions as may be agreed upon by the commission.

Veryrepspectvcully, your obedient servant,

W. W. MACKALL,

Assistatn Adjutant-General.

HEADUQARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,

Bowling Green, Febraury 6, 1862.

Captain LINDSAY, C. S. Army, COmmandign at Nashville.

CAPTAIN: You will relase Captains Price, U. S. Army, and Major Helveti, Kentucky cavalry. You will send themwith anofficer to act as an escort to be reported atthese headuqarters, proveided these gentlement are sufficiently recovered fromt heir wounds to travel. If not hou will inform them that they have been exchanged andiwll be at

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*Both omitted here; see Union Correspondence, pp. 231, 243.

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