General Grant commands this department and you had better await his answer before proceeding to extremities. All I can do is to see that the terms for the exchange of prisoners of war be faithfully executed by your exchanging the four men you have in custody for four we will send to Vicksburg.

I am, with respect, your obedient servant,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding District.

NOTE. --The killing of young White and the burning of the residence of his mother occurred on or about 11th September, 1862, in De Soto County, on the Hernando and Memphis plank road, about thirteen miles from Memphis.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 18, 1862.

Governor SALOMON, Madison, Wis.:

The disposition of the persons arrested in your State was some days ago submitted to the President, who has the matter under consideration, and his determination will be immediately communicated to you.

C. P. BUCKINGHAM,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF MISSISSIPPI AND EAST LOUISIANA,
Jackson, Miss., November 18, 1862.

Major General B. F. BUTLER,

Commanding U. S. Forces, New Orleans, La.

GENERAL: I have received your communication by return of flag of truce; also what purports to be a copy of an incomplete and unaltered record of the proceedings of a court-martial supposed to have been held somewhere in Louisiana west of the Mississippi River. As the limits of my command do not embrace that district of country, and as I have no information official or otherwise that any such court does now or ever has existed, I do not deem it advisable to discuss its supposed action. I may, however, properly recall to your recollection the somewhat similar proceedings on the part of the U. S. authorities not very long since in Missouri.

In reference to the two lieutenants of Indiana regiments for whose exchange you inform me you sent Captain Murphy, of the Confederate Navy, I beg leave to say that I immediately made inquiry of Major N. G. Watts, Confederate agent for exchange of prisoners of war, as to the facts so far as within his knowledge. Major Watts replies by telegraph as follows:

I have the two lieutenants. They are not pledged for Captain Murphy. He is now at large on furlough by agreement with Captain Davis, assistant adjutant-general with General Butler. The lieutenants are to be disposed of as other prisoners.

As you have notified me of your intention to retain Brigadier-General Clark and thirteen others of the most considerable Confederate prisoners of war in your possession awaiting instructions from your Government, &c., I am compelled to decline releasing any more U. S. prisoners until I am informed of the views of my Government on the same subject. It is with great regret that I find myself compelled to this course but I have no alternative.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. C. PEMBERTON,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.