[Inclosure.]

WASHINGTON, May 12, 1862.

Mr. J. S. LAMB.

DEAR SIR: I received your letter and laid the matter before the War Department. You maybe assured that I will do all in my power to secure your release and enable you to go home. The military operations just now are very exciting and occupy the whole attention of the Department. I think, however, that arrangements will soon be completed for your discharge.

I am, very truly, yours,

HORACE MAYNARD.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, July 5, 1862.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

COLONEL: Your letter of the 1st instant relating to proposed improvements at Camp Douglas and your telegram of the 4th calling attention thereto have been received. I cannot approve the expenditure involved in the improvements suggested in your letter. Ten thousand men should certainly be able to keep this camp clean, and the United States has other uses for its money than to build water-works to save them the labor necessary to their health.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General.

HDQRS. U. S. FORCES, HILTON HEAD, COCKSPUR, &C.,
Fort Pulaski, July 5, 1862.

Major CHARLES G. HALPINE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the South:

I have the honor to report that in obedience to instructions received from the major-general commanding the Department of the South I this morning sent Lieutenant James O. Paxson, of the Forty-eighth Regiment New York Volunteers, with a flag of truce to the enemy's lines on the Savannah River. Lieutenant Paxson had in charge the two prisoners of war, Antonio Ponce, Jr., and Ashley M. Shaw, captured at this place on the 11th of April, whom I was directed to send to Savannah, the letters which I received from you and a large number of letters, most of them written by persons taken at Pulaski and which have been in my possession since the fall of the fort. Lieutenant Paxson was instructed to deliver all of these letters or none. He proceeded up the river until halted by the rebel outpost on the west bank of Saint Augustine Creek; he was there detained until the arrival of a commissioned officer to whom he delivered the persons and the letters. No objection was made to the reception of these letters. Having accomplished the object of the flag he returned to this post.

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

ALFRED H. TERRY,

Brigadier-General.

9 R R-SERIES II, VOL IV