after ten days from date, on a day designated that would be most convenient the prisoners held by General Taylor on the west bank to be sent to Donaldville or Bonett Carre, or such other point as he may prefer, or Vicksburg. Will you please name a day and places for the exchange as soon as other arrangmenets are effected?

May I ask you the favor the send back with my yacht some wounded men, which the want of possibility of transportation rendered it indispensable to leave upon the occasion of the late visit of a reconnoitering party to Ponchatoula.

I have sent Lieutenant Wiegel, of my staff, to receive them, and have allowed Captain Blount, of the late Acting Brigadier-General Allen's staff, now a prisoner of war here, to go over with your flag in exchange for Captain Thornton, who is of the same rank and wounded. The other wounded men will be considered in exchange.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

BENJ. F. BULTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, September 17, 1862.

Brigadier General M. JEFF. THOMPSON.

SIR: I am informed by Captain A. O. Murphy, Louisiana Navy, a paroled prisoner of war, that Sergeant Stewart and Private Latham, both of the Sixth Regiment Michigan Volunteers, are now in your hands as prisoners of war.

I have the honor to state that if you will release these men on parole and permit their return hither I will account for them in the general exchange of prisoners now being negotiated in this department.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. F. BULTER,

Major-General, Commanding Department of the Gulf.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, September 17, 1862.

Brigadier General M. JEFF. THOMPSON, Commanding, &c.

GENERAL: In another communication of this date I have proposed to you arrangements for an exchange of prisoners in courteous answer to your note, which I take leave to call attention was written me by your adjutant-general without the apology of your absence which I afterwards learned by the captured correspondence between you.

There is, however, a grave difficulty in the way of a general exchange of prisoners so far as this department is concerned. General Taylor in a letter received the -, of which from accident I regret I am not able to give you a copy, has informed me that having captured 136 of the Eighth Vermont Regiment he proposes upon various pretenses set forth in this letter to except them from the cartel of exchange, and further threatens in certain contingencies therein set forth to take the lives of ten of them by lot.

I send you a copy* of my reply to this extraordinary communication. You will see, general, at once that consistently with my duty to the men instructed to my care I must see to it that not a hair of their heads is touched unjustly or wrongfully. While I hope and trust that General Taylor will reconsider his as it seems to me ill-judged deter-

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* Omitted here; Butler to Taylor, September 10, Vol. 15, Series I, p. 565.

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