WAR DEPARTMENT, November 7, 1862.

[Colonel HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners.]

COLONEL: The Secretary of War says that Mr. Soule is not subject to exchange at present.

Very respectfully,

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS, Baltimore, November 7, 1862.

COMMANDING OFFICER, Frederick, Md.

SIR: The major-general commanding the Eighth Army Corps directs that you take measures to prevent for the future any rebel prisoners of war, whether sick, wounded of in heath, coming to this city from Frederick without being enrolled and in charge of an officer who will report their arrival to these headquarters. All prisoners of war who may come to this city without such enrollment, whether paroled or not, will be sent back to Frederick, and if any expense is incurred it will be charged to the officer who authorized their coming.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,

Saint Louis, Mo., November 7, 1862.

Colonel J. C. KELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Headquarters of the Army.

SIR: The inclosed papers* are sent to you for the purpose of drawing your attention to the cases of a number of officers who were taken prisoners at Wilson's Creek, and who having been subjected during the command of General Fremont to some informal exchange of which no record can be found here are becoming impatient to learn their real status. It seems necessary to resort to the memory of those who were acquainted with this transaction at the time to obtain the facts, and Major Sturgis (now general) having been the officer conducting the exchange on our side his statement is particularly desirable. It is necessary to know what number of prisoners were exchanged, who they were and where the papers are referring to the matter. This was before the exchange under agreement between Price and Fremont. If it proves impossible to ascertain whether these officers have been exchanged and to give them certificates to that effect they will have to be exchanged now and should in justice be placed at the top of the present lists, having so long suffered from being off duty.

By command of Major-General Curtis:

N. P. CHIPMAN,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, November 13, 1862.

Respectfully referred to the commissioner for the exchange of prisoners.

By order of Major-General Halleck:

J. C. KELTON,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*Omitted.

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