FORT MONROE, October 31, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

Mr. Wood is here and refuses to report to me though ordered to do so. If he were a military officer I would put him in the guard-house. As it is I send him on by the Baltimore steamer and with him a man by the name of Woodall, formerly a detective in the service of the rebels and probably so yet, as he is with Mr. Wood by their permission. We have evidence that no political prisoners have arrived at Richmond up to 3. 30 o'clock yesterday. Mr. Wood has also brought with him a clergyman by the name of Conrad-a case which I think should be looked into at Washington where he has been confined.

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, October 31, 1862.

Major-General DIX:

You should have sent Wood to the guard-house. When you think any man deserves it 'shoot him on the spot. "

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., October 31, 1862.

Major General B. F. BUTLER,

Commanding Department of the Gulf, New Orleans, La.

GENERAL: The commanding officer of Fort Pickens reports that there are more prisoners confined there than he can well take care of. I am directed by the Secretary of War to say that if any of these prisoners are of a class to be exchanged they must be ordered to New Orleans and thence sent up to Vicksburg to be paroled or exchanged according to the cartel. When prisoners are forwarded for exchange duplicate rolls should accompany them, both to be receipted by the Confederate officer who receives the prisoners; one of them he retains and the other should be sent to the Adjutant-General by the officer who delivers the prisoners. If there are more political prisoners at Fort Pickens than can he well cared for and there is no nearer place in your department where they may be held direct that they be sent to Fort Lafayette, N. Y.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

SAINT LOUIS, October 31, 1862.

J. M. BASSETT, Esq.,

Provost-Marshal-General Northwest District of Missouri.

SIR: Your report of prisoners arrested and discharged or forwarded to Saint Louis from the 13th to 24th of October, 1862, has been received. I remark that in the case of H. Hovers on you say he was "arrested and banished from the State as a suspicious and dangerous person. " The banishment of a man from a State is a serious thing, especially when it is based on a charge so undefined. It is not within the power of a provost-marshal to give such a sentence. No one less than the