OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,

Wheeling, January 5, 1863.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

SIR: I have the honor to reply to yours of the 3rd instant asking for the charges, &c., against Mary Jane Green. In the month of August, 1861, when on the staff of General Rosecrans and acting as provost-marshal in the field I had this girl in custody in the jail of the town of Sutton, Va., charged as a spy for the guerrillas. She did not deny the same and cursed terribly, vowing what she would do if ever released. I directed that she should be sent to Wheeling, where she was confined until December, 1861, when General Rosecrans made his headquarters in this city. I called upon her to see if any change had taken place in her disposition but found her as bitter as ever. General Rosecrans has her brought before him when she abused him well with her tongue and he ordered her back to jail. Shortly before General Fremont assumed command of the Mountain Department General Rosecrans directed me to send Mary Jane Green to her home in Braxton County with the hope and exception that the Union troops would shoot her. I released her, gave her transportation and in a very short time she was returned to me having been caught in the act of destroying the telegraph line near Weston, Lewis County, Va. This was in May, 1862. On her arrival here she took sick, refused to take medicine and came near dying. This seemed to cool her somewhat and since August last she has professed penitence. She is an ignorant creature, but at times has the ferocity of a perfect she-devil about her. I cannot advise her release and respectfully suggest, as in the case of Marian McKenzie alias Harry Fitzallen, reported to you December 24 and 25 (to which I have no reply*), that she be sent if possible to some house of refuge or detention and be held there until the end of the rebellion. I omitted to say that in April last before I sent her home I let Mary Jane Green out of jail on parole and got her a place to work with a family here, but owing to her bad temper and conduct I was obliged to place her again in custody. Her three brothers are now guerrillas.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. DARR, JR.,

Major and Provost-Marshal-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST TENNESSEE PARTISAN RANGERS,
January 5, 1863.

COMMANDER OF THE POST, Bolivar, Tenn.

SIR: About ten days ago the U. S. forces stationed at Bolivar captured John B. Scanborough, assistant surgeon, and Thomas W. Bass, forage master, of my regiment of Partisan Rangers. They have not yet been paroled, in violation of the cartel. In the case of the assistant surgeon, in retaliation I have captured two surgeons of the U. S. Army, one of whom, Ezekiel O. Buell, surgeon of the Eightieth Ohio Regiment of Volunteers, I propose to exchange for John B. Scarborough, assistant surgeon. I also propose to exchange Second Lieutenant Thomas L. Patton, of Company A, Eightieth Ohio Regiment Volunteers, for Thomas W. Bass, forage master. In this exchange I give you advantages in giving officers of superior rank for others of inferior rank, and in the instance of the forage master a commissioned officer for a private detailed to act as forage master, but I can afford to be generous to an enemy who

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* See Hoffman to Darr, p. 130.

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