portion of the Federal officers recently captured and among them General Prentiss went up from this place by railroad on yesterday to Talladega. I went a part of the way and was present during a conversation between General Prentiss and one of our citizens. The general was quite talkative and spoke freely and apparently very frankly in relation to the battle in which he was taken and of the plans and resources of the Federals. He says he was surprised, which seems evident enough. He says they, the Federals, have greatly the advantage in strength and numbers, and it is not their policy to incur risks by attacking you where you are strong, but to go around you and attack where formidable resistance cannot be made. He says General Buell has a reserve of 75,000 and that the North has 250,000 men in camps of instruction; that all opposition would soon be overcome; that the Federals would in a short tiem have Memphis and very soon thereafter New Orleans. I give the substance of his statements, without undertaking to state the exact words. He was quite civil and polite, but spoke in a confident and rather boastful air, predicting that the South would be overrun in nienty days. I believe he stated that Decatur was one of the points they designed to attack. If you find anything of importance or value in the above I shall be repaid for the little trouble I have had in writing it; otherwise your loss will be the little time required to read this.

Most respectfully, yours,

J. W. LAPSLEY.

HEADQUARTERS, Richmond, April 16, 1862.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD, Corinth, Miss.

GENERAL: I have the honor to propose to you if circumstances permit that General Prentiss be offered in exchange for General Buckner. If you think it advisable General Prentiss could be released on parole for a limited period with the understanding that General Buckner be returned within our lines at its expiration, or that he should return himself.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,

General.

[Indorsement.]

Approved.

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, Commanding.

HDQRS. TWENTIETH REGIMENT TENNESSEE VOLS.,
Camp near Corinth, Miss., April 16, 1862.

Colonel W. S. STATHAM,

Commanding Third Brigade, Reserve Corps:

You are already aware that Colonel Joel A. Battle, commanding this regiment, was captured by the enemy on the battle-field of Shiloh and is now a prisoner. My great anxiety together with that of the officers and men of the regiment for his exchange and return to his command induces me to ask of you the favor to forward this request in proper form to General Beauregard. I also respectfully ask the privilege of passing the lines with a small escort for the purpose of effecting the