protest against any detention of a prisoner of war on charges preferred against him by his enemies. I claim his delivery under the cartel and whatever charges there may be against him can be forwarded with him. If any wrong has been committed his Government is the proper one to notice and punish it.

Since my interview with you I have declared exchanged all officers and men of Indiana troops captured at Munfordville, Ky., September 17, 1862, amounting to about 3,000 men; also officers and men belonging to Captains Rigby and Von Sehlen's Indiana batteries captured at Harper's Ferry, amounting to about 200 men. Also the officers and men of the Thirty-ninth, One hundred and eleventh, One hundred and fifteenth, One hundred and twenty-fifth and One hundred and twenty-sixth Regiments New York Volunteers, and Companies A and F of Fifth New York Artillery and detachment of Eighth New York Cavalry, captured at Harper's Ferry, amounting to about 5,000 men. The exact number I shall be able to give you at our next interview. This aggregate amount of 8,200 exceeds the balance struck between us on the 11th instant of 5,100, but since these deliveries have been made at Vicksburg and the officers and men of the irregular organizations are now on their way there all these will leave a balance in my favor.

I hope you will send the Robinsons--father, son and son-in-law. I inclose a list* of sixteen telegraph operators I have declared exchanged. They were all captured at various places in the Western Department. Please inform me at any time you desire to see me.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. H. LUDLOW,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Agent for Exchange of Prisoners.

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA,

Fort Monroe, November 20, 1862.

The body of Confederate troops known by the designation of Partisan Rangers and whose officers are commissioned by the Confederate Government and who are regularly in the service of the Confederate States are to be exchanged when captured.

WM. H. LUDLOW,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Agent for Exchange of Prisoners.

SAINT LOUIS, November 20, 1862.

Colonel J. HILDEBRAND, Commanding at Alton, Ill.

COLONEL: The military prisons here are overcrowded and sickness prevailing amongst the prisoners and is rapidly increasing. I desire to know the number of prisoners that the Alton Prison is capable of receiving and the number now confined there. There are many prisoners sent to Saint Louis under sentence of imprisonment for the war, and it has become necessary to remove them from Saint Louis to relieve the crowded condition of the prisons and to make room for other prisoners daily coming forward from the interior of the State. Will you let me know the number you can now receive, and also from time to time let me know when room has been made by discharges or removals to another point, stating the number that you can receive? Will you detain at

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*Omitted.

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