cases here of fathers and sons and of brothers which it is desirable not to separate, and it happens in cases of very well-disposed prisoners. There are also some here who are sick and also some who are useful. Shall I make any exception in these cases when I have another oppor tunity to send them away? There is among the prisoners here a concerted plan for general revolt with a view of taking the island and take their chances for escape. These prisoners have very many desperate men among them and among the higher officers, and they are very influential. So far as I can judgeand I have good means of knowing-this plan of revolt embraces the great body of the prisoners. Our details of guards are so large that with as much care as can be exercised with the sick and absent we get on some every other day. There are a few men short in each company and men are so scarce it is difficult to fill them. We are using the utmost vigilance, and while I do not fear a successful attempt the officers as well as myself would feel better if we had another company. It would be a most unfortunate thing for the Government and our officers who are prisoners if any large body of these should escape, and while we here shall do all we can to prevent it if it should happen and a larger force would have prevented it it would be very unfortunate. I could name a large number of prisoners here who should be in Fort Warren in case no prospect of exchange should result from the present negotiations. Indeed the field officers here generally exert a very bad influence. There is no dissatisfaction with their treatment (and our personal intercourse is pleasant) which creates this disposition, but it is the result of the restless spirit of a set of very bad rebels. I have written in haste and shall not have this letter copied. Most respectfully, WM. S. PIERSON. NEW YORK, June 18, 1862. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington, D. O.: Major Kinsman, aide to General Butler, has surrendered into my custody Pierre Soulé, Adolphe Mazureau and servant. What disposition shall I make of them? ROBERT MURRAY, U. S. Marshal. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 19, 1862. ROBERT MURRAY, Esq., U. S. Marshal, New York: The prisoners surrendered to your custody by Major Kinsman you will deliver into the custody of the commander of Fort Lafayette to be held by him until further order. EDWIN M. STANTON, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 19, 1862. Col. J. E. BAILEY, Prisoner of War, Fort Warren, Mass. SIR: In answer to your letter of the 7th instant inquiring whether prisoners on being exchanged will be permitted to carry their families with them the Secretary of War directs me to state that no rule has yet been established on this subject, but that when your exchange shall be effected your application will be promptly considered. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, C. P. WOLCOTT, Assistant Secretary of War. MCCLELLAN'S HEADQUARTERS, June 19, 1862. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: I will to-morrow forward to General Lee a copy of the general order directing that surgeons will not be regarded as prisoners of war and do not doubt but that General Lee will at once issue a similar order. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS, Richmond, Va., June 19, 1862. Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, U. S. Army, Commanding Army of the Potomac, &c. GENERAL: In compliance with your request I have the honor to transmit herewith a list of the prisoners of war captured by the C. S. forces in the battle of the 31st ultimo on the Chickahominy, and also of those taken on several occasions subsequent to that date. I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant, General R. E. LEE, R. E. LEE, General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Commanding Military Forces, Richmond, Va. GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a list of prisoners from this army taken by the force under your command. I thank you for responding thus promptly to my proposition on this subject and for relieving the minds of the prisoners' friends. I shall continue to send you from time to time lists of prisoners taken by us and am sure that you will return similar lists. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS, Fort Monroe, Va., June 19, 1862. Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General of the Army. GENERAL: I have just received your communication of the 16th instant asking for information in regard to the subject-matter of the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 28th April concerning Judge Edward P. Pitts, of Northampton County, Va. In reply I have the honor to state that when I ceased to be the commanding general of the Middle Department, in which Accomac and Northampton Counties, Va., are comprised, Judge Pitts was in office but not with my consent or approbation. When I first saw the memorial of Judge Pitts to the Legislature of Virginia I was entering on my duties as one of the commissioners appointed by the Secretary of War in regard to state prisoners. These counties constituted a part of the State of Western Virginia, and Governor Peirpoint had ratified the appointment of Judge Pitts. It was suggested to me by one of the Senators and one of the members of the government of Western Virginia with whom I conferred on the subject that it should be left for the action of the Governor, to whom the memorial of Judge Pitts had been transmitted and with whom they engaged to communicate personally. After completing my duties as commissioner in regard to state prisoners, finding Judge Pitts still in the exercise of his judicial authority, I wrote to the Governor of Western Virginia urging his removal and the appointment of a loyal citizen in his place. I deemed this course the most proper for two reasons: 1. Martial law had not been declared in the counties of Accomac and Northampton. The authority of the government of Western Virginia had been extended over them. No part of the Union had been more quiet or submissive to the laws. They had elected loyal men to the Legislature and to Congress and all persons in office within them had taken the oath of allegiance to the United States. 2. I did not deem it advisable to displace Judge Pitts by military force and thus supersede the remedial action of the loyal Governor of Western Virginia by a measure which might have been misconstrued into censure or distrust until his wishes were made known to me. Besides I did not think it right on general principles to overthrow by military power the exercise of the judicial authority in a loyal State governed by a loyal chief magistrate unless it should become indispensable for want of the necessary authority in him under the State constitution. Having expressed my strong disapprobation of the conduct of Judge Pitts, having communicated to him through a State senator my condemnation of his disloyal course and having appealed to the Governor for his dismissal, I deemed it incumbent on me to defer the exercise of the military power vested in me until advised by the authority to which I had appealed that there was no other remedy. In the case of Judge Carmichael whom I arrested on a recent occasion I not only had the authority of the Government but I also consulted with the Governor of Maryland, who left the whole matter to be disposed of by me in the exercise of a sound discretion. I will only add that I had an appointment with Governor Peirpoint at Baltimore on the day I was relieved from the command of the Middle Department, and that my departure for Fort Monroe on a notice of a few hours prevented me from keeping it. Had we met it is not improbable that there would have been some action between us on the subject. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN A. DIX, SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE DEPARTMENT, III. In accordance with instructions from War Department the following-named prisoners of war will be sent to Fort Delaware at 2 p. m. to-day via Ericsson line of steamers, viz: Brigadier-General Pettigrew, Confederate Army; Col. Roger W. Hanson, Second Kentucky Volunteers, Confederate Army; Col. William E. Baldwin, Fourteenth Mississippi Volunteers, Confederate Army; Lieut. Col. James Jackson, Twenty-seventh Alabama Volunteers, Confederate Army; First Lieut. J. B. Washington, aide-de-camp, Confederate Army; First Lieut. J. Murray, aide-de-camp, Confederate Army. Maj. Henry Z. Hayner, aide-de-camp, U. S. Army, will take charge of the prisoners to Fort Delaware, turn them over to the commanding officer of that station, take a receipt for them and return to these headquarters. The prisoners will be put on their verbal parole to make no attempt at escape on their way, declining to give which a guard will be sent with them, for which Major Hayner will make application. Maj. James Belger, quartermaster, U. S. Army, will provide the transportation. By command of Major-General Wool: WM. D. WHIPPLE, Assistant Adjutant-General. U. S. MARSHAL'S OFFICE, New York, June 19, 1862. Col. MARTIN BURKE, Commandant, Fort Lafayette. COLONEL: Deputy De Voe will deliver into your custody Messrs. Pierre Soulé and Adolphe Mazureau, of New Orleans, sent here by Major-General Butler. They are committed to your care in obedience to a telegram of the following tenor, viz: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 19, 1862. ROBERT MURRAY, Esq., U. S. Marshal, New York: The prisoners surrendered to your custody by Major Kinsman you will deliver into the custody of the commander of Fort Lafayette to be held by him until further order. EDWIN M. STANTON, The original telegram will be produced for your satisfaction, and after having read it will you have the kindness to return the same by bearer? I am, colonel, most respectfully, your obedient servant, U. S. Marshal. U. S. MARSHAL'S OFFICE, New York, June 19, 1862. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. SIR: In obedience to the order contained in your telegraphic dispatch of to-day's date I have removed Messrs. Pierre Soulé and Adolphe Mazureau (the two prisoners sent to this port by Major-General Butler, New Orleans) to the custody of the commandant at Fort Lafayette, subject to your further orders. I have the honor to remain, sir, your most obedient servant, WASHINGTON, June 19, 1862. Col. MARTIN BURKE, Fort Hamilton : The Secretary of War directs that you receive Soulé, Mazureau, servant and any prisoners sent North by General Butler, now in the custody of Marshal Murray, and safely keep them without allowing them to hold communication with any other person until further orders. Acknowledge by telegraph. Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS: L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General. FORT HAMILTON, June 19, 1862. Pierre Soulé and Adolphe Mazureau have arrived and are now confined at Fort Lafayette. MARTIN BURKE, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding. DETROIT, June 19, 1862. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War: Telegram this moment received from Maj. W. S. Pierson, commanding Johnson's Island, Sandusky, says a large scheme is on foot for revolt of prisoners with aid from Canada. Will you come here immediately as Colonel Hoffman has not yet arrived here. I advise you. G. W. HOFFMAN Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN. DEPOT PRISONERS OF WAR, Near Sandusky, Ohio, June 19, 1862. DEAR SIR: I wrote you hastily yesterday and on account of further developments I sent dispatch to-day, and hearing from your br[other] I write a word as I have only time before the last boat. I learn in substance that the prisoners have a military organization; that they have a general and adjutant and other officers; that they are to obey orders; that they are to revolt and that the leaders assure them that they will have abundance of transportation from Canada, with aid from the water; that our guards will be driven back and they will rush out; that arrangements are made to this effect, &c. Of course how far this is true I can only judge from what I learn in confidence from the prisoner who betrays, coupled with many corroborating circumstances. I received dispatch from General Thomas last evening putting me on my guard, stating that "a scheme is reported to be on foot in Canada by Southern sympathizers to release the prisoners on the island. Be on your guard." It is consistent with what I am informed from within the prison. I have replied to his dispatch and asked if the U. S. steamer Michigan could not be sent here. I do not see any good she does in Buffalo or Erie, and our boat here would be nowhere in case they come with such preparation as is threatened. I have invoice of another mountain howitzer, but it has not arrived. As your br[other] telegraphed you were not at Detroit I write this, as it may be in Detroit as soon as you are so you can understand to what I refer in my dispatch. Yours, most respectfully, WM. S. PIERSON, |