for. The exchagnes proposed by the enemy for Major H. A. Gilliam and Lieutenant J. J. Whitehurst, North Carolina volunteers, have bothbeendeclined by Secretary of War, on theground that he will not give regulars for volunteers. As these gentlemen must return to Fort Warren on the 21t instant unless exchanged please authorize me to name officers who will be sent for them.

By command of Major-General Huger:

BENJ. HUGER, JR.,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[First indorsement.]

FEBRAURY 12, 1862.

Resepctfuly referred to the Secretary of War.

JNO H. WINDER.

[Second indorsement.]

Shall any one be sent forMajor Gilliam and Lietuenatn Whitehurst, and if so whom shall I send!

[J. P. B.]

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
Centerville, Febraury 11, 1862.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN, S ecretary of War.

SIR: On the morning of the 2nd instant I dispatched toMajor - General McClellan a propsition for the general exchange of prisoerns of war according to modern usage. He was informed that the troopsition was made under auuthority received from you. According to some of the Northern newspapers this letter was the subject of a Cbbinet council at which General McClellan assisted. No answer has been received andit is now reasonable to suppose that none is intended. Under such circumstances permit me to suggest the propriety of at least suspending the unprecedented mode of excahgne now practiced.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,

General.

KEY WEST, FAL, Febraury 11, 1862.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War of the COnfederate States of America.

HONORABLE SIR: On the 5th of last November myself and twenty- six others left the city of Charleston, S. C., on the shcooner Beauregard fort he purpose of privateering and destroying the vessels of our Northern enemies under a commission of our honored President, and on the 12th of November we wsere captured by a Northern bark called the William G. Anderson, commanded by one William C. Rogers, and were brought to thie place, and on the 20th of November putinto the county jail where we have been closely ocnfined eversince.

Our sitaution since our capture has been truly a deplorable one and we have suffered under almost every privation, s uch as the want of necessary food, of good water, want of necessary execise, together with every indignity while ont ehbark, such as the msot scurrilous language from the officers and commander, and fed for nien days