HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE APPOMATTOX,
Petersburg, May 23, 1862.

Honorable G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War.

SIR: I inclose herewith a letter* received from Major-General Wool last night. I telegraphed you requesting to be informed when the hostages would be sent. I also request that you will send me a copy of the cartel agreed upon between the United Staes and Great Britain in 1813.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. HUGER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE APPOMATTOX,
Petersburg, May 23, 1862.

Honorable G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War.

SIR: I waited until afternoon to-day for your answer to me message last evening. I then dispatched a flag to General Wool with the letter of which the inclosed is a copy.

I refer you to my letter of May 3+ written to General Wool and stanting the terms on which we could make a general exchange of all prisoners, and stipulating first that the privateers should be exchanged and on what terms. I have sent you copies of all the correspondence since. From your message just received you do not appear to have had time to read the letters.

I do not know the number of privateersmen; there are officers among them, and their rank was fixed by me-see letter of May 20,++ copy sent you-and the exchange was to be made as that letter states by the cartel agreed upon between General Wool and General Cobb, being the schedule fixed by the United States and Great Britain in 1813.

I will inform General Wool by first opportunity that Colonel Wood is relased form his parole.

Very respectfully, your obedient servnat,

BENJ. HUGER,

Major-General, &c.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE APPOMATTOX,
Petersburg, May 23, 1862.

Major General JOHN E. WOOL,

Commanding Department of Virginia.

GENERAL: I have detained your boat until to-day expecting an answer from Richmond as to the time when the prisoners to be exchanged for the privateersmen could reach here. I have not yet received an answer and I am not aware of the location of these officers or when they could reach here, but I assure you I consider the War Department have fully agreed to the terms stated in my letter of the 3rd instant to you and which have been accepted by yourself. I must be responsible that on the delivery of all the privateersmen all the officers retained as hostages will be released upon parole, the details of the exchanges to be arranged between us according to the cartel referred to and such of the officers as are not exchanged in this way to

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* Omitted here; Wool to Huger, May 21, p. 561.

+ See p. 514, Union Correspondence.

++ See p. 556, Union Correspondence.

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