[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS, Richmond, Va., June 17, 1862.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,
Commanding Army of the Potomac.

GENERAL: Your proposition* to regard medical officers in care of the sick and wounded as non-combatants is concurred in by me, and such officers are so regarded in the operations of the armies of Northern and Eastern Virginia. I take the occasion to that you for the unconditional release of Doctor Taylor, of the C. S. Army, who was left in attendance upon a sick man at Williamsburg.

R. E. LEE,

General.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
June 19, 1862.

General R. E. LEE,

Commanding Military Forces, Richmond, Va.

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of to-day concurring in my proposition "to consider medical officers in care of the sick and wounded as non-combatants. " Such officers will accordingly be so regarded in the army under my command. I inclose to you an order of the War Department of this subject which goes even further than the proposition I made to you. I trust that you will receive a corresponding order.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Sub-inclosure.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 60.
Washington, June 6, 1862.

* * * * * * *

IV. The principle being recognized that medical officers should not be held as prisoners of war it is hereby directed that all medical officers so held by the United States shall be immediately and unconditionally discharged.

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 3.]

HEADQUARTERS, Richmond, Va., June 19, 1862.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN, U. S. Army,
Commanding Army of the Potomac.

GENERAL: I am directed by the Secretary of War to state that having been informed of the capture of Captains Sprigs and Triplett, of the Ranger service of the State of Virginia, and of their intended execution by order of the United States Government, he has caused lots to be drawn form among the U. S. officers detained as prisoners of war for the purpose of selecting subjects for retaliation, and that the lots have fallen upon Captain George Austin, Company B, Second Kentucky Regiment of Infantry, and Captain Timothy O'Meara, Tammany Regiment, New York volunteers.

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* See McClellan to General Commanding Army of Northern Virginia, third paragraph, Vol. III, this Series, p. 670.

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