HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, June 24, 1862.

Honorable G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

Has any arrangement been made between the two Government for exchange of prisoners of war? I so what are the terms of the cartel?

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Major-General, Commanding.

BALTIMORE, June 24, 1862.

Honorable G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.

SIR: I have the honor to state that upon my arrival at this place communication to myself with reference to an exchange and in which you authorized me to state to him that if he will name an officer and appoint a time and place of meeting you will do the same. The officers so appointed to be empowered by their respective Governments to agree upon a cartel for a general exchange of all prisoners of war. I also showed to him your memorandum and endeavored to explain to him the misunderstanding between yourself and him. I also left for this perusal the printed document which you furnished to me. I inclose herewith a memorandum from him in which he expresses himself ready to agree to the cartel of 1812-1815, but declined verbally to send an officer as you proposed, stating that he could not do so without consulting his Government. He thinks that a plain and definite proposal should come from you to him, stating exactly what the Confederate States are willing to agree to. He requested me to write to you, declining to write himself, as no communication was sent to him directly from you. I would respectfully suggest that a cartel be agreed to and signed by you and forwarded for the acceptance of the Secretary of War of the United States. General Wool informed me that the notification of the release of Wood for Patton had been received by him.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

G. B. COSBY,

Major, C. S. Army.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS, Baltimore, June 24, 1862.

Major-General Wool would inform Major Cosby that he has ever been ready to exchange all prisoners of war, according to the cartel agreed upon in the war of 1812-1815 between the United States and Great Britain and as set forth in the letter of Major-General Huger on the 3rd of May last, when General Wool sent the privateersmen to be paroled or exchanged for the prisoners of war called hostages. Lest there should be any hesitation on the subject of parole he sent the cartel with Lieutenant-Colonel Whipple to make the exchanges as indicated in that instrument.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 145.
Richmond, June 24, 1862.

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VII. Captain John M. Galt, commanding, &c., at Lynchburg, Va., will stop for the present the shipment of flour, corn and bacon and cattle