FRANKFORT, KY., August 12, 1862. A. LINCOLN, President of the United States: The indiscriminate arrests making in this State is producing a dangerous state of things. Quiet, law-abiding men holding State-rights dogmas are required to take an oath repulsive to them or go to prison, who are willing to take an oath substantially pledging alliance to State and United States. Two men over seventy years old are arrested in Lexington. An order to arrest only for cause is important. If the State is invaded, we want a cool general, able to handle a force sufficient to repel it. See Mr. Holt. Public feeling is in a dangerous state. The Southern sympathizer is made desperate and our soldiers will become bandits. J. B. TEMPLE, President Board of Kentucky. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, General C. P. BUCKINGHAM, Asst. Adjt. Gen., War Department, Washington, D. C. GENERAL. I have the honor to inclose herewith a roll* of prisoners of war held at Fort McHenry, Md., up to July 31, 1862. This I believe completes the rolls required from the several camps and stations where prisoners are held, viz: Fort Warren, Boston Harbor; Fort Columbus, N. Y.; Fort Delaware, Del.; Fort McHenry, Md.; Fort Monroe, Va.; Washington City; Depot at Sandusky, Ohio; Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio; Camp Morton, Indianapolis, Ind.; Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill.; Camp Butler, Springfield, Ill.; Military Prison, Alton, Ill.; Gratiot Street Prison, Saint Louis. There are a few prisoners, civil and military, at various stations in the western part of Virginia of whom I have not yet been able to get rolls, as the jurisdiction of the provost-marshal at Wheeling is not yet very well defined. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel, Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. General M. C. MEIGS: DETROIT, August 12, 1862. Captain Potter reports that he wants 3,000 coats, pants, shirts, hats and shoes for prisoners at Camp Douglas. W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners. DETROIT, August 12, 1862. Adjutant-General THOMAS: Can I be exchanged for a colonel on Johnson's Island? Colonel Hoffman telegraphed you yesterday on the same subject. P. KINNEY, Colonel Fifty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. * Omitted. HEADQUARTERS, Camp Butler, August 12, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich. SIR: Your communication of July 31 was received in due time. Samuel D. Crane is the name of the citizen under arrest here for harboring an escaped prisoner. He was arrested under the following circumstances: On the afternoon of the 19th of July three prisoners made their escape; two were captured before night. After dark I sent two squads of men to watch certain houses in the neighborhood. During the night some suspected houses were searched. At Crane's a prisoner was found that had been absent from camp a month or more. I have the names of some witnesses but have not yet been able to see them to learn what they know. The U. S. marshal requests that Crane may be turned over to him. Unless you desire that a different course should be pursued I will turn him over. Respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN G. FONDA, Major, Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, Commanding Camp Butler. HEADQUARTERS, Fort Wayne, Mich., August 12, 1862. General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: I have been informed that the officers of the squadron composing this command, namely, Captain McNally, Lieutenant Cressey and myself, have been regularly exchanged. Supposing that the enlisted men of my command are also included and that their services will be required at once for active service in the field, I respectfully beg that I be furnished with authority to obtain 100 recruits from the draft for 300,000 men called for by the President of the United States to complete my squadron. I also respectfully ask that I may be furnished. with horses, horse equipments, arms, &c., necessary to fully equip the command, and I feel fully justified in promising that in the shortest space of time I can furnish a most effective squadron of cavalry for active service in the field. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ALFRED GIBBS, Captain, Third Cavalry, Commanding Post. SPRINGFIELD, August 12, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich. COLONEL: Your dispatch of the 9th instant to Major Fonda, com manding Camp Butler, did not arrive until yesterday after my arrival. The roll for exchange was forwarded on Saturday (9th instant) by mail; the one to Washington some days previous. I am preparing now a roll of the prisoners of war to include all who have ever been at Camp Butler. I am preparing this from the most reliable data that I car find. Can you not furnish me with the number that should have arrived at the camp? There are no reliable data whatever to show the number of prisoners who have arrived at the camp. I am also preparing rolls of those who wish to take the oath of allegiance. The bitter feeling existing among the prisoners themselves prevents many from taking the oath. I would recommend that those who take the oath be released before the others are forwarded for exchange. I will to-day dispatch you the amount of clothing actually required by the prisoners before exchange. I shall make a personal inspection of them myself. I find it will amount to considerable, and too much to be purchased from the prisoners' fund. I would recommend, however, that the amount be purchased rather than they be supplied with U. S. uniforms. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. FREEDLEY, P. S.-The mail is just closing. Pardon the haste of this letter. H. W. F. AQUIA CREEK, August 12, 1862. Col. L. C. BAKER. SIR: I have about eighteen or twenty prisoners, among them the four names you gave me this morning. Will you have the kindness to be at the landing on their arrival? Respectfully, J. J. CAMP. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, August 13, 1862. Hon. REUBEN HITCHCOCK, Cleveland, Ohio: I have ordered that you be appointed a special commissioner to hear and determine the cases of state prisoners at Camp Chase. Will you accept the appointment, and when can you enter on the duty? Please answer immediately. EDWIN M. STANTON, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, August 13, 1862. General BOYLE, Louisville, Ky. : The power of arresting persons in civil life is to be exercised with much caution and only where good cause exists or strong evidence of hostility to the Government. Complaint has been made to the Department of improper arrests in your State and I suppose by your command. Without questioning the discretion of your acts the President has deemed it proper to call your attention to the subject. EDWIN M. STANTON, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, August 13, 1862. J. B. TEMPLE, Esq., Frankfort, Ky.: Your telegram of yesterday to the President has been referred to this Department. The arrests referred to have not been directed by this Department and no information or report concerning them has been received. The policy you indicate corresponds with the views of the Government and direction has this day been given to General Boyle to confine arrests to cases where good cause exists. His appointment as general commanding in Kentucky was made on the urgent recommendation of the delegation of that State and was supposed to be satisfactory, and no complaint has been made. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, August 13, 1862. JOHN A. KENNEDY, Special Provost-Marshal, New York: Report immediately what officer refuses receipts and what officer has released deserters on parole or promise to return to their regiments. Give the names of the officers and the names of the deserters and a prompt correction will be applied to this abuse. P. H. WATSON, Assistant Secretary of War. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, Commanding Army of the Potomac. GENERAL: I have just received from the Adjutant-General's Office your letter of July 30 inclosing a letter from General R. E. Lee of July 21. The letters of General Dix* and Major Wood* will furnish you with the proper information for a reply to General Lee's complaints in regard to the treatment of prisoners at Fort Monroe. The Government of the United States has never authorized any extortion of oaths of allegiance or military paroles and has forbidden any measures to be resorted to tending to that end. Instead of extorting oaths of allegiance and paroles it has refused the applications of several thousand prisoners to be permitted to take them and return to their homes in the rebel States. At the same time this Government claims and will exercise the right to arrest, imprison or place beyond its military lines any persons suspected of giving aid and information to its enemies or of any other treasonable act; and if persons so arrested voluntarily take the oath of allegiance or give their military parole and afterwards violate their plighted faith they will be punished according to the laws and usages of war. You will assure General Lee that no unseemly threats of retaliation on his part will deter this Government from exercising its lawful rights over both persons and property of whatever name or character. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, General-in-Chief U. S. Army. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Maj. Gen. JOHN A. DIX, Commanding, Fort Monroe. the prisoners of war sent down on the Ariel and keep them for the Reference is to Dix to Williams, July 28, p. 310, and Wood to Williams, July 23, p. 310. present and until further orders from these headquarters. These prisoners have become possessed of information which it is important to withhold from the enemy at this time. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, [S. WILLIAMS,] Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON, Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose the names of a number of Union prisoners taken at Savage Station and handed to me by Mr. Brunot, and I request that measures be taken for their exchange for an equal number now in confinement at the Old Capitol Prison. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. S. WADSWORTH, I give a list of names I propose to exchange: Brigadier-General. Thomas R. Love, sr., Beverly M. Powell, James R. Powell, E. R. Ford, Thomas N. Williams, John R. Taylor, William R. Chapman, William H. Pettitt, Fairfax Court-House; Amos Fox, George Fox, Albert Fox, Fairfax County; B. D. Utterback, Centerville, Va.; David Fitzhugh, Fairfax County; also A. Nicol, Minor West, Brentsville. [Inclosure.] J. S. W. HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON, General J. S. WADSWORTH, Washington. Respectfully, your obedient servant, FELIX R. BRUNOT. HDQRS. MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON, D. C., Colonel RUGGLES, Chief of Staff. COLONEL: The thirteen prisoners you directed Brigadier-General Sturgis to turn over to Major-General Burnside to be passed by him through his lines are now under my charge at the Old Capitol Prison. I have had a conversation with the Secretary of War on the subject and he directs that they be held as hostages for an equal number of Union |