number, and will have to refer the matter to General Schofield, who will no doubt attend to it without delay.

General Hindman is in error in supposing that I have caused the arrest of citizens to be held in hostage for the amount of the prisoners referred to. I have frequently caused the arrest of persons claiming to be citizens who were, in fact, cowardly assassins, commonly known by the cognomen of bushwhackers, and I observe by General Orders, Numbers 17, of July 17, 1862, issued by General Hindman, a printed copy of which I have in my possession, captured lately from Colonel MacDonald, this system of warfare is recognized by the Confederate Government. It is certainly contrary to the usages of civilized warfare and can be regarded only as cowardly assassination; and I have the honor to inform you that when such prisoners are captured by my command I shall cause to be hanged six of them for every one of my men who shall lose his life by the hands of such miscreants.

I am not in the habit of arresting citizens without good cause, and purpose that my actions shall be governed by the prescribed rules of civilized warfare, and I may here state as a fact that I passed a large number of Confederate soldiers wounded in the late fight (Newtonia) which I neither took prisoners nor paroled. The same was true of the Confederate wounded in the recent battle near Maysville.

I have the honor to inform you that about the 10th of October I sent to the Confederate lines thirty prisoners of war in charge of one Captain Taylor (Confederate) for exchange, with a letter addressed to General Rains, then supposed to be in command of Confederate forces, and up to this time have had no return from them.

Good faith requires that an equal number of Federal prisoners be sent to our lines without further delay.

I have further to inform you that I have at present fifty-one Confederate prisoners of war, including seven released on parole, that I will exchange in accordance with the cartel at any time and place agreed upon, and would suggest Evansville as the place for such a change to take place under a flag of truce.

Very respectfully,

JAMES G. BLUNT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

CHICAGO, ILL., November 24, 1862.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter* of the 20th instant informing me that the list of offices of my staff whom I desire to have exchanged had been forwarded to the officer intrusted with negotiations for exchanges at Fortress Monroe. You do not state that my own name was included. This perhaps arises from the fact that the request for my own exchange was previously made to Colonel Kelton. I will thank you to see that I am not omitted. I will also state that Samuel Icher, a private of the Thirty-seventh Illinois Volunteers, who has been on duty at my headquarters as an orderly, was captured and paroled at Harper's Ferry, but his name was not included in the lists furnished by either of the regiments (his own not being there). I would esteem it an especial favor if you will include his name among those to be exchanged.

The Ninth Vermont and Sixty-fifth Illinois Infantry are at this post not yet exchanged, being a part of the force surrendered at Harper's

---------------

*Omitted.

---------------