prisoners. Being exchanged they were ordered to report for duty on Saturday last by W. P. Robinson, colonel commanding Twenty-third Regiment Missouri Volunteer Infantry, but have not as yet obeyed the order, and state that they are no willing to rejoin their company until they are exchanged as Lexington prisoners. Also, I find on the communication above alluded to an indorsement by H. Z. Curtis, assistant adjutant-general, ordering these men to report to the commander of the paroled men at Benton Barracks to wait an exchange, as no official notice of the exchange of Lexington prisoners has been received at the headquarters of this department. General, I would most respectfully ask if these men are entitled to an exchange or a second discharge from the U. S. service on account of their being paroled at Lexington, after voluntarily enlisting in another regiment knowing that they had been paroled. I am the more anxious to get an explicit answer to this question as, although but four names are attached to the communication above alluded to, there are twelve men in my company and upward of 300 in the various regiments awaiting a decision on this question.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. H. BROWN,

Captain Company K, Twenty-third Regiment Missouri Vol. Infantry.

[Inclosure No. 2.]

Brigadier General BEN. LOAN, Commanding Central District of Missouri.

SIR: I respectfully herewith tender you a request of several members of the Fifth Regiment Missouri State Militia, now paroled prisoners of war in Benton Barracks, formerly belonging to the Thirteenth Regiment Missouri Volunteers, Colonel E. Peabody, taken prisoners at the battle of Lexington on the 21st of September, 1861, to have us ordered to our regiment for duty, we taking all the consequences of not being exchanged. The reason for asking the above favor are that we - George Meyer, formerly second lieutenant of Company B, Major M. P. Berry's battalion of cavalry, attached to Thirteenth Regiment Missouri Volunteers, now sergeant-major Fifth Regiment Missouri State Militia; Sergt. John Engeser, formerly corporal for same company, now sergeant Company E, Fifth Regiment Missouri State Militia; Corpl. Fred. Wiedman, formerly private of same company, now corporal Fifth Regiment Missouri State Militia; Charles Ackerman, formerly private of Company B, Thirteenth Regiment Missouri State Militia, now Company C, Fifth Regiment Missouri State Militia; Edward Schaltenbranch, formerly private of Company B, Thirteenth Regiment Missouri State Militia, now corporal Company E, Fifth Regiment Missouri State Militia - after having been notified by Colonel E. Peabody that we had been exchanged and mustered out of service, joined the Fifth Regiment Missouri State Militia, and after serving for eight months in said regiment were ordered to Saint Louis as prisoners of war. Prisoners of war that were taken by the C. S. Army in 1862 have almost all been exchanged or will be in a short time, and the prisoners of 1861 were never mentioned. Therefore the above mentioned prisoners of war now at Benton Barracks prefer to join their regiment for duty instead of staying at Benton Barracks or being mustered out of service, believing they would do more good with their regiment in the field than in garrison at Saint Louis.

Respectfully referring the above to your consideration, I am, your obedient servant,

GEORGE MEYER,

Acting Adjutant Fourth Battalion Paroled Men, Benton Barracks.