comforts, &c., to be given the prisoenrs before threceipt of the clothing from the North and therfore witheld theissue of these blankets. I have now to request that you will instruct me whether Ishall turn these blankets in tothe quartermaster to replace those I ordered to be issued or forward them to Salisbury, N. C., whither the prisoenrs have been removed*

* * * *

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. LOVELL,

Major-General, Commanding.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, February 16, 1862.

Major General B. HUGER, Norfolk.

SIR: This letter will be handed you by Major H. A Gilliam sent here on parole for excahgne with Major Reeve, U. S . Army, or Major Sibley, U. S. Army.

I have already informed you that I decline to exchange regulars for volunteers. I also decline to allow the enemy to choose their exchagnes, picking out the officers on both sides.

Major Giliam herefore returns to the enemy. If a parole is granted him until exchanged for an officer of equal grade such exahgne will be accepted, and we will send an officer of equal grade, and I beg that you will give him a letter to that effect.

I beg you also to inform General Wool that we prefer he should send no more prisoners to us on parole for a special exchange designated by him as no such exchange will be made.

I beg further that you inform General Wool that nothing in any paper sent by him to you affords any satisfactory assurance that our private armed seamen captured by the enemy are no longer to be treated as felons. An explicit assurance to that effect or an excahgne of our privateersmen as prisoner of war can alone justify their Government in relieving the hosges held by it and giving them up in exchange for toehrs of equal grade.

Your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War.

DOVER, TENN., M Febraury 16, 1862.

Brgi. General S. B. BUCKNER.

GENERAL: I understand from Major Casseday that by the terms of capitulation the officers were to be permitted to retian their side- arms, but the U. S . officer in cahrge of officers and men has determined that they should be delivered to him, agreeing, however, that the arms should remain in my xustody until to- morrow morning. My officers and men have been brought from their camp at the fort to this place to- nigh; much of their clothing and baggage has been left behind, and the side- arms of officers are all at the fot. The men will to- night be placed on a trasport and their property may be lost. Will you have this corrected.

Your obedient servant,

J. E. BAILEY,

Colonel, Commanding Forty- ninth Regiment Tennessee Vols.

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*Parts omitted have no refernce to prisoenrs.

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