WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 21, 1862.

Major-General McCLELLAN.

GENERAL: Your letter with the accompanying letter of Colonel Key respecting his conference with Howell Cobb, acting as a brigadier-general in the rebel army, has been received and laid before the President according to your request. The President's instructions respecting any further effort at exchange will be speedily communicated to you. I will only remark now that it is not deemed proper for officers bearing flags of truce in respect to the exchange of prisoners to hold any conference with the rebel officers upon the general subject of the existing contest or upon any other subject than what relates to the exchange of prisoners.

Yours, truly,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
June 21, 1862.

Major General JOHN A. DIX, Commanding Fort Monroe:

Did you ever make any report of the circumstances connected with the arrest of Judge Carmichael? If you did it has been mislaid and you will please send a copy. If you have not made any report please do so now.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

FORT MONROE, June 21, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

The papers in Judge Carmichael's case were left in Baltimore. I will procure them and report without delay. Governor Peirpoint, of Western Virginia, has appointed commissioners to superintend the municipal election at Norfolk on Tuesday next and called on General Viele for military force to sustain them. Shall it be furnished, and is Governor P. to be recognized as Governor of this portion of Virginia? I have had no instructions on this point.

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 21, 1862.

Colonel RICHARD OWEN,

Commanding Camp Morton, Indianapolis, Ind.

SIR: Your letter of the 17th instant to Captain J. A. Ekin, U. S. Army, reporting the fact that many prisoners now under your charge at Camp Morton would prefer remaining in prison rather than to be released and sent within the rebel lines, has been submitted to this Department, and in reply the Secretary of War directs me to state that when a system of general exchanges shall be established none of the prisoners of war who will take the oath of allegiance and as to whose future loyalty there is no question will be forced within the rebel lines.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. P. WOLCOT,

Assistant Secretary of War.