HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE APPOMATTOX,
Drewry's Farm, May 28, 1862.

Honorable G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War.

SIR: I have your letter* of the 27th with lsit of officers formerly held as hostages for privateers. Your letter states that I would fulfill my engagement by permitting General Wool to release from parole the four officers who are now paroled but not exchanged. I would fulfill the letter but not the spirit of all my letters. I inclose you a copy of my letter+ of 23rd instant to General Wool in which I agree that if all the privateersmen are sent to me I will release all the persons formerly held as hostages, such as are not exchanged to be paroled. I must comply with the terms of my letters of the 23d, copy inclosed, or I shall be guilty of similar conduct to that pursued by General Wool, to which I cannot consent. I repeat my request that I have authority granted me to send for and deliver over on parole all officers once held as hostages provided General Wool delivers to me all the privateersmen.

Very respectfully, your most obedient servnat,

BENJ. HUGER,

Major-General, Commanding.

P. S. - Please return me the original letters of General Wool sent you on 26th.

FORT WARREN, May 29, 1862.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General C. S. Army.

GENERAL: This will be presented to you by Captain Sheliha, of my late staff, who goes to the seat of Government to effect an exchange between himself and Captain Gibbs, of the U. S. Army. May I ask your assistance in effecting it? I have seldom important the Department. Here I consider it my duty. It will confer a favor on one of my staff and restore an able engineer to a service in which they are much needed.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. MACKALL,

Brigadier-General.

BATERY Numbers 7, Richmond, May 29, 1862.

Honorable Mr. RANDOLPH.

DEAR SIR: This short epistle is to get information from you for the purpose of getting my discharge from the C. S. service. When the war first broke out I joined Captain William H. Dulany's company from Fairfax County, Va., and sereved up to the time that Alexandria was taken, and I was taken prisoner by the Federals who kept me one month and in prison. When Captain Ball and all this men took the oath I refused to take if, but I found out that I could not get out without taking it, and not knowing the consequences of such a thing I took it and came down in Virginia to get employment; but when the conscript bill passed they all told me it wound take hold on me. I joined a volunteer company (B) of Major F. J. Boggs' battalion of artillery. Now, I want to know if it is lawful for me to stay or

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not. Will you be

* Not found.

+ Huger to Wool, May 23, p. 586.

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