he proposed to surrender his company (now numbering upward of 130 men) provided they would be treated as prisoners of war; that General Merrill agreed that this treatment should, so far as he could effect it, be extended to them; that at any rate they should not be shot on surrendering, but confined if they could not be exchanged; that about eighty of his men surrendered on these terms and are here with him now (they are about being transferred to Alton), and that he desires permission to return to Ralls County and bring down the remainder of his men to share the fate of those already surrendered. The remainder are still at large feeling some distrust of the terms indicated by General Merrill, but the sanction of these by you will in the opinion of Captain McDonald enable him to bring them all with him to Alton or Saint Louis. These men not being regularly prisoners of war Captain McDonald proposes (if you will grant him a parole for twenty days for that end) to repair to the city of Vicksburg and make arrangements for the exchange of these men as prisoners of war, returning for them an equivalent of Federal soldiers. He will, whether successful or unsuccessful in this mission, return in twenty days (which terms is to begin when he returns with the remainder of his company) to this city, and if unsuccessful will submit to imprisonment during the war or to such other terms, having his neutrality for their object, as may be determined on by the military authorities of the United States.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. T. GANTT,

Provost-Marshal-General for Missouri and Iowa.

SAINT LOUIS, November 3, 1862.

T. D. PRICE, Esq., Provost-Marshal for Hannibal, Mo.

SIR: Your letter of 1st instant respecting John C. McDonald has been received at this office. The major-general commanding has given him permission to return to Ralls to fetch down the remainder of his men and report to you to Hannibal for transportation and a guard for Saint Louis or Alton.

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

THOS. T. GANTT,

Provost-Marshal-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH ARMY CORPS, Numbers 49.
Baltimore, Md., November 3, 1862.

The custody, care and supervision of sick and wounded prisoners of war is intrusted solely to the medical director, who will make suitable arrangements for the reception of such as may be reported to him by the provost-marshal and who may be unable to be transported to Fort Monroe.

All prisoners of war (surgeons and chaplains included) now at private residences upon the plea of sickness or wounds will at once be removed to the U. S. hospitals. If therein constitution be such as to prevent their removal that fact must be reported to these headquarters, accompanied by a certificate to that effect signed by the medical director or some medical officer designated by him after a personal examination.

By command of Major-General Wool:

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.