HEADQUARTERS, Alton, Ill., June 23, 1862.

Lieutenant Colonel W. HOFFMAN,
Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

SIR: I have the honor to report that in obedience to your order of June 21, 1862, all medical officers held as prisoners of war at this prison have been this day unconditionally discharged. Being destitute of means they were by my order furnished with transportation to department headquarters. Their names are as follows: Dr. James P. Evans, taken at Pea Ridge; Dr. John S. Frost, taken at Pea Ridge; Dr. William D. Horton, taken at Fort Donelson. A contract has been made with citizen Dr. I. E. Hardy, of this place, for medical attendance on the prisoners (now numbering 467) at $100 per month.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. WASHINGTON,

Captain, Commanding.

WAR DEPARTMENT, June 24, 1862.

Major-General FREMONT, Middletown:

The President directs that you suspend all death sentences in your department until further orders and that the proceedings be submitted to him.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

GENERAL WOOL'S HEADQUARTERS,

Baltimore, Md., June 24, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

Major Cosby and Captain Sheliha, of the rebel army, have just returned from Richmond. Mr. Randolph in a letter to Cosby informed him that under the rule adopted by his Department no more individual exchanges would be made and he accordingly declined to exchange these officers. He further said the system had been found so unjust and arbitrary that the rebel Government had determined to acquiesce in it no longer. He further says that--

As you informed me, however, that General Wool expresses his readiness to agree to a cartel for a general exchange you are authorized to inform him that I will send an officer to confer with him on the subject at any time that he may appoint, and that I will authorize such officer to execute in our behalf a cartel of exchange.

I send this to you for what it is worth. When I sent the privateersmen to be paroled or exchanged to prevent any delay or difficulty I sent the cartel with Lieutenant-Colonel Whipple, as agreed upon between Cobb and myself as to exchanges, which was in accordance with the cartel agreed upon between the United States and Great Britain in the war of 1812-1815, and I authorized Colonel Whipple if they would not assent to have the prisoners paroled that he could make exchanges according to that instrument. No reply was received and the privateersmen returned.

Cosby asks to be sent to Fort Warren, where he left his baggage. Captain Sheliha says his parole has not expired by thirty days. Shall I send these officers to Fort Delaware or will you allow Cosby to go to Fort Warren and Sheliha to remain on parole?