from Lynchburg and impress so much as may be necessary for the subsistence of troops and prisoners of war, paying the owners n certificates of the impressment or paying market prices.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO WITHERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ROCKY MOUNT, N. C., June 24, 1862.

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

SIR: Pardon me for again calling your attention to the case of me son, Lieutenant William Biggs, who is one of the Hatteras prisoners on parole. The peculiar circumstances of his case is my apology for intruding upon your time and attention. Since he was paroled his company has organized for the war (it originally being a twelve-months' company) and he was elected first Lieutenant. Upon the organization of the regiment (the Seventeenth North Carolina, Colonel Martin), now in camp between Goldsbrough and New Berne, the captain of his company (Captain Lamb) has been elected lieutenant-colonel, by which my son becomes captain, but he cannot act until he is exchanged. The officers and men are very anxious to retain him and he is very desirous to remain with the company with whom he has been associated since 1st May, 1861, in battle and in prison. From some recent paragraphs in the newspapers we have indulged the hope that partial exchanges are getting made with some expectation of a general exchange. My son's company needs his services now and I have advised him that it is due to the company that he should abandon his position rather than cripple the company by holding on. He has tendered his resignation but it is declined for the present with a hope that in the next ten days the exchange may be effected. I know the difficulty of doing anything on such a subject while a battle is expected every day in the neighborhood of Richmond, but I understand flags of truce occasionally pass to negotiate about exchanges. I hope you will excuse this letter and the request I now make, that you would inform me whether there is any probability that my son can be exchanged soon.

With high regard, I am, your obedient servant,

ASA BIGGS.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 45.
Richmond, June 26, 1862.

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II. Medical officers taken prisoners of war by the armies of the Confederate States will be immediately and unconditionally discharged.

III. The Government of the United States having recognized the principle that medical officers should not be held as prisoners of war, and having ordered the immediate and unconditional release of all medical officers now on parole so held, all medical officers of the Confederate States now on parole are hereby discharged from their parole.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.