NEIL HOUSE, Columbus, Ohio, January 5, 1865.

Brigadier General H. W. WESSELLS,

Washington City, D. C.:

GENERAL: I was ordered here to recruit for the Second Regiment North Carolina Mounted Infantry from the prisoners captured at Cumberland Gap, Tenn., in September, 1863, by Major-General Burnside, consisting of the Twenty-ninth, Sixty-second, and Sixty-fourth North Carolina Infantry, C. S. Army. The larger number of those men were and now are Union men and have written from time to time to me to come and get them out of prison. I am here with six of my men who are acquainted with nearly all of the Union men of those three regiments who were conscripted in the rebel army. Some are here, others at Camp Douglas, and some at Johnson's Island. I would most respectfully ask permission to enter the three camps and recruit all the men who are willing to enlist and that I can prove are true, loyal men now and before the war. I saw General Thomas at Lexington and the general said he would telegraph to the Secretary of War and that I would be notified at Camp Chase. I shall anxiously wait an answer.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. J. BAHNEY,

Major Second Regiment North Carolina Mounted Infantry.

[First indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., January 10, 1865.

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War for instructions.

H. W. WESSELLS,

Brigadier General U. S. Vols., Insp. and Com. General of Prisoners.

[Second indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT,

January 13, 1865.

Respectfully referred to the commissioner for the exchange of prisoners.

By order of the Secretary of War:

LOUIS H. PELOUZE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Third indorsement.]

JANUARY 14, 1865.

It is not believed to be expedient to adopt the policy here urged. Approved by the Secretary of War:

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 5, 1865.

His Excellency JAMES T. LEWIS,

Governor of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 23rd ultimo, inclosing copy of letter of same date addressed to you by C. M. Baker, commissioner of enrollment, First