Mr. Deslondes is further desired to confer with you whether it is not possible that some arrangement be entered into by which the citizens who are quietly at home may be left unmolested. Of course this is a matter as regards numbers that may be arrested of much more importance to the forces which you command than it can be to me, yet it would seem to be desirable that some convention upon this subject might be had which would relieve the war of its pressure upon the noncombatants on both sides.

Mr. Deslondes is informally possessed of my views upon this topic, and he may be able to so far convey to me the views of the authorities upon your behalf as to make a basis of more formal action.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

IRISH BRIGADE (TWENTY-THIRD ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS),

New Creek, Va., August 25, 1862.

L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington.

SIR: I am in arrest for not accounting to your department under order of July 20 last regarding the moneys of Camp Douglas. I never received such order; never knew of its existence until I saw it mentioned in the charges preferred. You may judge of my surprise and mortification to be put in arrest for disobedience of an order of which I never had any knowledge. There never was the day when I was not ready to account. I am at this moment. I stand ready to report for every dollar received and for every act performed since I entered the service of the Government.

I respectfully turn out of the routine of cases of like character and addressed you directly, convinced that if you are satisfied that your order never reached me then that you will not subject me this treatment, but straightway release me, directing [to] me your order of July 20 which will be immediately obeyed. My character, sir, has never been sullied, and I am impatient of the undeserved reproach of this arrest-impatient to vindicate to you and your department that I am an honest man and an obedient soldier. I therefore respectfully demand an immediate trial or that the War Office upon the accounting shall vindicate me as publicly as it has wronged me.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

JAMES A. MULLIGAN,

Colonel.

[First indorsement.]

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, October 14, 1862.

The Secretary of War desires the General-in-Chief to examine this case and express his opinion as to what action should be taken.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

[Second indorsement.]

OCTOBER 15, 1862.

Papers or incomplete. No report can be made without all the papers referred to.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.