back to Little Rock and has re-established his communications. Not being on my side of the river I must send them to you for action, and should you want to answer I will send your answer across under a flag. I rather suspected this whole proceeding was a plan to communicate and acted with due precaution. The bearer arrived in the evening and I started him back in the night.

I wrote to General Hindman that Lieutenant Tolleson had been arrested on the river for being concerned in some guerrilla raid but had escaped prison; that of the others I knew nothing and would refer to you. Of course I mentioned incidentally the ridiculous feature of his communication, his claiming the rights of civilized warfare for uniformed cowardly guerrillas firing from ambush on unarmed steamers loaded with women and children and his regret that his efforts to teach us the rules of civilized warfare had proven a failure.

I refer the letters to your for such action as you may deem proper to rescue the officers of the First Wisconsin Cavalry from their present dilemma. To my inquiry, "Why this flag of truce from Hidman?" "Where is Holmes?" I received answer, Holmes is sick. Hindman has no right to use a flag of truce of Holmes be at Little Rock. So I infer Holmes was on the march and Hidman sent to Little Rock to kick up a dust. You can draw your own inferences. My forts are near done. Negroes accumulating and matters generally quiet. Guerrillas busy on the river but quiet in the interior.

I am, with great respect,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS,
Little Rock, Ark., September 23, 1862.

General W. T. SHERMAN,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Memphis, Tenn.

GENERAL: I have information that Lieutenant Tolleson, of Captain West Harris' unattached company of cavalry, is a prisoner in your hands and is to be or has been tried as a guerrilla and upon conviction is to be executed. I respectfully request to be informed of the correctness of that information. Captain Harris' company was raised under proper authority and Lieutenant Tolleson is a Confederate officer. I hope my information as to your intentions in regard to him is incorrect. But as it is apparently reliable I have ordered First Lieutenant Hobbs, of the First Wisconsin Cavalry, U. S. Army, whom I have in custody as a prisoner of war, to be placed in close confinement, and in the event of violence being done to Lieutenant Tolleson I shall hang Lieutenant Hobbs by way of retaliation.

I desire also, general, to call attention to the recent murder of Samuel Berry, a citizen of Crittenden County, Ark., by men of the Federal Army or Navy at Council Bend, Ark. The circumstances are reported to me as follows: Berry had been charged with burning his own cotton and sugar to prevent its falling into the hands of Federal troops. For that offense he was taken aboard one of your boats, tried, and acquitted. As he was leaving the boat he was told to run, which in his fright he did. As he ran the brutes upon the boat fired upon him and killed him. I demand that the murderers be surrendered to me for punishment. To enforce this demand I have ordered Second Lieutenant J. T. Consaul, First Wisconsin Cavalry, U. S. Army, a prisoner of war in my hands, into close confinement. If you fail or refuse to deliver up the