[Inclosure.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, July 8, 1862

Major-General DIX, Fort Monroe:

General McClellan shortly before the late battles made an arrangement for the exchange of prisoners taken on either side by the forces before Richmond. It is the desire of this Department to carry the arrangement into effect. I wish you would communicate with him. I also with the consent of the President whom you will consult authorize you to negotiate for a general exchange of all prisoners taken and held or paroled on both sides; the exchange to be on the principles of the cartel between the United States and Great Britain in the last war with that power.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS, Fort Monroe, Va., July 12, 1862

Major General G. B. McCLELLAN,
Commanding Department of Virginia.

GENERAL: I sent a dispatch from Colonel Campbell this morning, received just as the steamer was leaving. I hear nothing further in regard to crossing troops over the Chickahominy.

The flag of truce referred to by Colonel Campbell was sent by me to Cumberland at the request of the commanding officer at he white House to receive the sick of General Kearny's hospital who have been paroled by order of General Lee, and who arrived here this morning. They number 106 and are nearly all well and speak in strong terms of the kindness with which they were treated by the insurgent officers.

Captain Gibson's battery will be sent to you the moment we can get transports. We re much pressed for transportation. It is in readiness to move.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. DIX.

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS, Fort Monroe, Va., July 12, 1862.

Colonel T. F. GOODE, Commanding near Talleysville, Va.

COLONEL; I send by Lieutenant Barstow, one of my aides-de-camp, under a flag of truce some sixty civilians who have been a short time in custody for public reasons and whom I have released on parole. They are commended to your courtesy with the hope that there may be no impediment to their speedy restoration to their families and homes. We have provided for their comfort as well as we could while they were with us, and their subsistence will be furnished until they are delivered to you.

I avail myself of the occasion to return you my thanks for your kindness to the sick at General Kearny's hospital. They are to go up the Chesapeake Bay in the John Tucker, the same steamer which received them and in order to avoid the necessity of her return to this post they will remain on board until the civilians are delivered to you and then proceed to their destination. The latter would have been sent to you when she went up before but they were not ready.

I am, respectfully, yours,
JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

12 R R-SERIES II, VOL IV