HEADQUARTERS, Suffolk, Va., August 14, Maj. Gen. JOHN A. DIX, Commanding Fort Monroe. 1862. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of instructions of the 12th instant in which you forbid persons being arrested on sus picion, and state that two prisoners have died at Fort Wool, and express a desire to release all the prisoners I have sent for safe-keeping to Fort Wool on their parole. It is very natural that these prisoners should make an effort to excite your sympathy. No man has been arrested on suspicion. There has always been good reasons for apprehending certain persons, and `my officers have not been allowed to exercise any arbitrary acts beyond the performance of their duty and instructions received by me. There are always two sides to the picture. These chivalric gentlemen find it quite hard to be confined themselves but do not hesitate to shoot negroes for bringing chickens and berries to sell to the "damned Yankees," as they call them. A free negro on the road with his little cart and horse was shot with a ball and buck load by Charles Sumner, and he is now moving about on crutches and I have been obliged to give his family bread and meat. Another negro has been in my hospital covered with shot in his body. Two negroes were shot at or near Smithfield. Out of four in a boat, one dead, fell into the water and the other dying of his wounds, and the remaining two were sent to Richmond and sold. Whole families of negroes, free and slaves, are run across the Blackwater to Richmond to work in the fortifications against their will by these kind rebels who don't like to be restrained themselves. Only a few days since a respectable farmer had to aban don his land and property and came in to me with his wife, and I gave him a pass to go to the North. The man had been taken to Richmond on suspicion of disloyalty and imprisoned forty days and only set at liberty after taking the oath of allegiance to the Confederate Government which he would not live under. Another respectable farmer they were going to hang on suspicion and escaped by no man coming forward to swear against him. I sent you the other day a man, a magistrate in North Carolina, who went to a Union poor man and with pistol in hand said he would shoot him if he joined the Union homeguard. Are we not to curtail the liberty of such rebels? My own opinion is they will all be fortunate to escape the just retribution of taking up arms against our country. All the Union people I have seen in Virginia say we are too easy with these secessionists and that is my opinion. As to the death of prisoners at Fort Wool the proportion is small compared with the death and hanging of our own prisoners and Union men at the South. If they do not get proper treatment there they should have it and a reform take place. I have in most instances ordered a military commission to examine and try such cases of arrests as are made. The proceedings of these boards are on record and I have always put on such boards officers of the soundest principles of honor and justice I have at command. I cannot examine such cases myself for want of time. I inclose you a list* of the persons brought before the military commissions, most of whom I presume you have at Fort Wool. A written statement of the circumstances has always been sent with the prisoners to your provost-marshal. JOS. K. F. MANSFIELD, Brigadier-General, Commanding. *Not found. Hon. E. M. STANTON: COLUMBIA, TENN., August 14, 1862. There are a number of rebel surgeons in our lines released by Orders, No. 60, who claim the privilege of staying at home with restrictions. Their presence is very injurious to the interests of the Government. Can I not require them to leave the lines or become loyal citizens? J. S. NEGLEY, Brigadier-General, Commanding. COLUMBUS, OHIO, August 14, 1862. W. A. HAMMOND, Surgeon-General U. S. Army: Allow me to draw your attention to Camp Chase. There are now 1,600 prisoners; one regiment and two-thirds three-months' men on guard duty. Two new regiments are nearly filled. Orders, No. 65, has brought to camp over 3,000 sick soldiers to be examined. The regi mental surgeons are busy inspecting their own men and taking care of them. Up till now we got along by employing a contract surgeon and using the paroled surgeons. They are now ordered to report to their regiments, and therefore we now need more help. A first-class man with five good assistants ought to be appointed for this post at once. The examination of sick soldiers being very important ought not to be intrusted to poor hands. A first-class man cannot be procured at the usual rate. Do give me authority to organize a staff for above camp, and what compensation will you allow? There are now more than 500 soldiers waiting examination. Answer immediately. GUSTAV C. E. WEBER, Surgeon-General. HDQRS. FIRST DIV., DEPT. OF EAST TENNESSEE, Brig. Gen. G. W. MORGAN, Commanding U. S. Forces, Cumberland Gap. August 14, 1862. GENERAL: Your letter* of to-day proposing that the exchange of prisoners with our respective commands take place to-morrow at Tazewell at 12 o'clock I have just had the honor to receive. I will cause the prisoners to be delivered to the officers named by you at the time and place designated. I meant by "exchange and parole" in my letter referred to to exchange for Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon and others in your hands Captain Taneyhill and an equivalent of men; the surplus held by me to be paroled agreeably to article 4 of the cartel. You seem not to have understood that portion of my letter which refers to exchange of citizens. I proposed to make an "equitable exchange of these persons," &c. I respectfully suggest, general, that the terms of their exchange be fixed by the officers appointed to receive the prisoners of war. I hereby name Colonel Garrott and Captain Mathews to meet the officers designated by you. With great respect, your obedient servant, C. L. STEVENSON, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Not found. SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, Col. James McFerran, of the First Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia; Col. Odon Guitar, of the Ninth Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia; Lieut. Col. Alex. M. Woolfolk, of the First Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia; Maj. Alexander W. Mullins, of the First Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, and Capt. Joseph D. N. Thompson, of the Fifth Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, are hereby appointed a commission to inquire into and determine the case of Calvin J. Sartain* and of such others as may be laid before the commission. Lieut. George W. Thompson will act as judge-advocate. The commission will convene forthwith at Laclede. BEN. LOAN, Brigadier-General, Missouri State Militia. [Inclosure.] Matters charged against Calvin J. Sartain. 1. That the said Calvin J. Sartain is guilty of murder in shooting and killing the pilot of the steam-boat White Cloud. This was done on the Missouri River near Glasgow about the month of August, 1861. 2. That the said Calvin J. Sartain is guilty of marauding and bushwhacking in this, that in the month of August, 1862, he was a member of a band of guerrillas and marauders under the lead of one Poindexter, and in the counties of Boone, Randolph, Howard, Chariton, Carroll, Livingston, and Linn; with said band committed various and divers acts of outrages on loyal inhabitants of said counties, to wit, in stealing horses, guns, forage and various other articles of personal property, and also by acquiring from loyal citizens similar kinds of personal property by robbery. Also in arresting and holding as prisoners loyal citizens and in assassinating loyal citizens by shooting them from the brush and other covert and concealed places. STEPHEN D. REED, U. S. Marshal, Oswego, N. Y.: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, August 14, 1862. All persons arrested for disloyal practices against the United States as per order of the 8th instant you will convey to the Old Capitol Prison in this city with charges and proofs against them to be tried before a military commission. This direction includes David Nychols. L. C. TURNER, Judge-Advocate. General L. THOMAS: FORT COLUMBUS, N. Y., August 14, 1862. 1 have just received thirty-three prisoners of war from General Hunter, Port Royal. Shall I send them to Fortress Monroe? There is See Vol. I, this Series, p. 477, for trial of Sartain. a very large amount of ammunition in Castle William, and I have no other place to confine them and have more than 100 prisoners sent by Kennedy, chief of police. G. LOOMIS, Colonel Fifth Infantry, Commanding. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, General C. P. BUCKINGHAM, Detroit, Mich., August 14, 1862. Asst. Adj. Gen., War Department, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: Colonel Burbank reports to me that there are no charges against Mr. James R. Hallam, a political prisoner at Camp Chase whose petition I referred to you a few days since, and there would therefore seem to be no reason for his further detention. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. FORT HAMILTON, N. Y. Harbor, August 14, 1862. Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General of the Army, Washington City, D. C. SIR: I have received your two communications, &c., with regard to allegations against Lieutenant Wood, and according to your order will commence an investigation of the same to-morrow. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, MARTIN BURKE, Lieutenant-Colonel Third Artillery. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON: INDIANAPOLIS, IND., August 14, 1862. The following telegram from commissary-general of prisoners has been received: Capt. JAMES A. EKIN: DETROIT, August 13, 1862. No prisoners will be exchanged or released till further orders. W. HOFFMAN. Does this refer to Tennesseeans now at Camp Morton? Ex-Governor Campbell, agent of Governor Johnson, is here to release those who will take the oath of allegiance and has been conferring with them with good results. A number will take the oath and return home. Governor Campbell wants to know if it is your wish that he shall visit other depots of prisoners of war as instructed by Governor Johnson. J. A. EKIN. HEADQUARTERS, Camp Douglas, Chicago, August 14, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich. COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 13th instant. I have not received the letter of A. M. Watson in behalf of Joseph F. Houser which you speak of having inclosed to me on the 2d instant. The only letter which I have from you which could have been written on the 2d instant is one received on the 4th, the date of which is August. The estimates for clothing which you returned approved were drawn from Captain Potter immediately and have been issued as required. I forward you to-night the duplicate of rolls sent to the Adjutant-General. I have not received from Captain Christopher the accounts of the prisoners' fund and hospital fund called for by your letter of August 4. I have made the proper demand but am informed by him that the accounts for July are not yet made up. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOSEPH H. TUCKER, Colonel Sixty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, Commanding. P. S.—I did not send you any estimate for clothing for the prisoners on Sunday last as suggested by you in a memorandum handed me by Captain Fowler because you had previously approved of an estimate for clothing which I deem sufficient for the present, and I did not write on Monday to say so as I expected you here on Tuesday morning. J. H. T. OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL, Wheeling, August 14, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners. SIR: A number of prisoners of war sent from here to Camp Chase expressed a desire not to be exchanged but to be permitted to take the oath of allegiance to the United States. I presume they will be allowed to do so, and in that case I should like to have them report to me at Wheeling for the double purpose of having a record of them and to present them such papers as would save them from molestation and rearrest as long as they remained loyal citizens. I refer to the prisoners who are residents of Virginia. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOS. DARR, JR., Major and Provost-Marshal. (Written at the request of the State authorities.) Major-General HALLECK, CAMP CHASE, OHIO, August 14, 1862. Commanding U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: Receiving no order to report to you for exchange after delaying until too late to join my comrades who were sent from Fortress Monroe and exchanged I set out to Washington to deliver myself to you who paroled me at Saint Louis. Knowing my duty was to report to each commanding general by whose post I should pass I accordingly did so at Louisville to General Boyle.. He gave me a passport and advised I should report to you immediately. Afterwards my side-arms being seen in a baggage wagon by the provost-guard I was placed in prison and thence transferred to this post where I am yet confined. Will you please order my release, as I was informed you alone could do at Louisville, when I will report immediately to you in person. My artillery saddle and housings were turned over to Collector Cotton, of |