he came there. The answer was that Doctor Franklin, acting surgeon of the Thirty-ninth New York Volunteer Regiment, had been taken prisoners and that this man had returned him safe without parole. Exasperated, I immediately ordered him out of my lines and reprimanded the surgeon, who instead of obeying my order took the officer up to the works where the Thirty-ninth New York Regiment Volunteers is stationed to protect the works. Learning this disobedience of orders I placed Doctor Franklin under arrest. It was for this I asked where the authority was for a general court-martial and for which I am referred to general orders for 1861, Numbers 111. This order I have not.

In fact it is necessary that I have a full file of orders. The statement is untrue. I am well aware how necessary it is to prevent any person to go near the works and ordered the Thirty-ninth to the advanced position to prevent it.

Lieutenant-Colonel Nicholls, of the Eighth Louisiana, is gone from this point. I have never seen him or known of his being here until I received a letter inclosed to him, when on inquiry I was told by a paroled Confederate prisoner that he had left here for some point south on the Strasburg road, he, as the Confederate told me, being on general parole. The Confederate cavalry are becoming bolder every day. News has reached me through various sources that seven wagons were captured with escorts on the Fort Royal road. On the same day an officer came through, stating to me that he had not seen any sigh of the enemy between here and Front Royal. From this I judge that they were informed of the train coming and crossed over on that road 100 strong and then retired. It is very humiliating to me for these men to come so close and not take them. Every hand I have is upon the work to fill your order. My scouts up the Shenandoah have not yet returned.

Respectfully,

A. SANDERS PIATT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON, D. C.,
July 24, 1862.

General ASA ROGERS,

(Care of postmaster, Leesburg, Va.)

SIR: General Wadsworth directs me to state to you that the persons ordered released from Richmond in exchange for yourself and others have not been heard from and there is evidently some mistake in the matter. He desires to learn from you their whereabouts and what information you have concerning them, until which time he necessarily holds you as hostage.

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

JOHN P. SHERBURNE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

COLUMBUS, KY., July 24, 1862.

Major-General GRANT.

DEAR SIR: Since writing you from Paducah I understand my regiment has been ordered to Helena, Ark. I now repeat the substance I wrote you, for fear you would not get my first letter. I was taken prisoner the 25th instant of June and promised if I could to get exchanged for Colonel Alexander J. Brown, of a Tennessee regiment, who was taken