of prisoners it is provided that agents shall be appointed by each party whose duty it shall be to arrange, all exchanges, and such agent must be appointed by the War Department. It is therefore not proper that a subordinate should assume such duty for himself or assign them to another, and Colonel Lowe can scarcely by warranted in exercising the duties of an agent for the exchange of prisoners.

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

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WASHINGTON, January 5, 1863.

Colonel W. H. LUDLOW, Agent for Exchange of Prisoners:

Shall rebel officers captured in the West be sent to Vicksburg for exchange as heretofore?

W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners.

CINCINNATI, January 5, 1863.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

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

COLONEL: At the battle of Perryville, Ky., while engaged in rallying one of my regiments momentarily throw in into some disorder by an attack of the enemy in great force I was disabled by a wound and taken prisoner. On the day following I was paroled at Harrodsburg. On the night of my arrival in this city I received a telegram from Washington of which the following is a copy:

WASHINGTON, October 14, 1862.

Colonel W. H. LYTLE:

Your telegram respecting exchange has been received and the Adjutant-General instructed to negotiation your exchange as speedily as possible. Allow me to express my high estimation of your gallantry and hope for your speedy recovery and restoration to your command with appropriate rank.

E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

Notwithstanding this order to the Adjutant-General I have not yet after the lapse of more than two months received any notification of my exchange, and recently at Murfreesborough to my intense regret my old command has been in action without me. May I not ask, colonel, your earliest attention to my case and that if practicable my exchange may be effected without further delay?

I have the honor to be, colonel, your obedient servant,

WM. H. LYTLE,

Colonel Tenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Lately Commanding Seventeenth Brigade, Rousseau's Division.

P. S. - I will add that my address is to Cincinnati, under orders from Major-General Wallace, commanding camp paroled prisoners at Columbus, dated October 25, 1862, to remain here until I was "recovered, exchanged and received orders. "

W. H. L.