Lieut. Col. W. HOFFMAN, HEADQUARTERS, Alton, Ill., June 23, 1862. Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich. SIR: I have the honor to report that in obedience to your order of June 21, 1862, all medical officers held as prisoners of war at this prison have been this day unconditionally discharged. Being destitute of means they were by my order furnished with transportation to department headquarters. Their names are as follows: Dr. James P. Evans, taken at Pea Ridge; Dr. John S. Frost, taken at Pea Ridge; Dr. William D. Horton, taken at Fort Donelson. A contract has been made with citizen Dr. I. E. Hardy, of this place, for medical attendance on the prisoners (now numbering 467) at $100 per month. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WAR DEPARTMENT, June 24, 1862. Major-General FREMONT, Middletown: The President directs that you suspend all death sentences in your department until further orders and that the proceedings be submitted to him. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. GENERAL WOOL'S HEADQUARTERS, Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: Major Cosby and Captain Sheliha, of the rebel army, have just returned from Richmond. Mr. Randolph in a letter to Cosby informed him that under the rule adopted by his Department no more individual exchanges would be made and he accordingly declined to exchange these officers. He further said the system had been found so unjust and arbitrary that the rebel Government had determined to acquiesce in it no longer. He further says that As you informed me, however, that General Wool expresses his readiness to agree to a cartel for a general exchange you are authorized to inform him that I will send an officer to confer with him on the subject at any time that he may appoint, and that I will authorize such officer to execute in our behalf a cartel of exchange. I send this to you for what it is worth. When I sent the privateersmen to be paroled or exchanged to prevent any delay or difficulty I sent the cartel with Lieutenant-Colonel Whipple, as agreed upon between Cobb and myself as to exchanges, which was in accordance with the cartel agreed upon between the United States and Great Britain in the war of 1812-1815, and I authorized Colonel Whipple if they would not assent to have the prisoners paroled that he could make exchanges according to that instrument. No reply was received and the privateersmen returned. Cosby asks to be sent to Fort Warren, where he left his baggage. Captain Sheliha says his parole has not expired by thirty days. Shall I send these officers to Fort Delaware or will you allow Cosby to go to Fort Warren and Sheliha to remain on parole? In conclusion I would remark even if it would be proper to notice Randolph's proposition, which under the circumstances I very much doubt, would it be wise at this moment to make a general exchange of prisoners of war when we have so many more of theirs than they have of ours, especially as Jefferson Davis has not always regarded paroles of honor? JOHN E. WOOL, Major-General. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 24, 1862. Major-General WOOL, Baltimore: Send Major Cosby to Fort Delaware and also Captain Sheliha. I understand his parole was for the special purpose of effecting an exchange, and that failing by the act of those whom he recognizes as his superiors his claim to benefit of parole is inadmissible. EDWIN M. STANTON, SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE, Memphis, Tenn., June 24, 1862. No. 118. XI. It having been reported to the general commanding that a Major Polk, of the Confederate Army, is on parole and is permitted to roam at large in the city the provost-marshal of the city of Memphis will immediately arrest and confine said Polk and report to these headquarters by whom he has been paroled and by whose authority he is permitted to have the liberty of the city. By order of Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant: JOHN A. RAWLINS, Assistant Adjutant-General. SAINT LOUIS, June 24, 1862. Colonel BOYD, Rolla, Mo.: Tell Major Tompkins I shall hold him strictly responsible for any shooting not authorized by my orders. He is not authorized to shoot men not in arms. J. M. SCHOFIELD, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS SAINT LOUIS DISTRICT, Brigadier-General TOTTEN, Saint Louis, Mo., June 24, 1862. Commanding Central Division of Missouri, Jefferson City. GENERAL: I have just received your letter of yesterday regarding prisoners. I think it useless to attempt to try all the prisoners captured and who are technically guilty of violation of the laws of war. As you remark the number is far too great to admit of it and very few of them will receive at the hands of a commission any more severe punishment than imprisonment during the war. This can be done as well and as properly in most cases without a trial as with. I do not think it worth while to bring before a commission any cases except those which are clearly capital and in which the evidence can be obtained with certainty so as to make conviction sure. The cases as fast as they arise should be examined by the local com. manders or provost-marshals and reported to division headquarters. Those who may properly be released on oath and bond should be released at once and all others except the few to be held for trial should be sent at once to the prison depots. It would be well if a suitable building could be obtained to establish a prison in Jefferson City large enough to hold all the prisoners of your division. If this cannot be done they will have to be sent to Saint Louis and Alton. My policy has been to release on taking the oath and giving bond all who surrender voluntarily or who have not recently been in the rebel service and give satisfactory evidence of their determination to remain loyal hereafter. But much caution is required to prevent the escape of bad men in this manner. As to those who do not give themselves up immediately on their return or who are lying about in the brush the least that can be done with them is to send them at once to prison, there to remain until they can be released without injury to the State. And considering the great number of such cases this seems the only course. I will try before long to send you an officer capable of performing properly the duties of judge-advocate, though I find it extremely difficult to obtain the services of any such officer. I intend to publish an order soon regarding these matters, but it is difficult to lay down any general rules to be applied to such matters. Very much must be left to the discretion of subordinate officers, and these unfortunately are generally innocent of any such quality as discretion. But we cannot bother ourselves with the trial of prisoners. Convict and punish a few extreme cases as examples and put the others where they will be harmless is the only rule practically open to us. I am anxious to have my General Orders, No. 3, carried out in a few cases as soon as possible. I hope it will prove an effective remedy for the evils existing in some of the counties of your division. I am in doubt about the propriety of adopting the proposition to attempt to disarm all disloyal persons. It requires no additional orders to disarm all persons who are known to be actively disloyal. This is done as a matter of course if the arms can be found, which is the difficulty. General Halleck gave such an order last winter, but it resulted only in disarming innocent persons and leaving them at the mercy of every villain that happened to come along. It also gives rise to much abuse on the part of soldiers while searching houses for arms. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. M. SCHOFIELD, Brigadier-General. HDQRS. SEVENTH DIVISION, ARMY OF THE OHIO, Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War: Citizens of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee come in by the dozen to take the oath of allegiance to the United States. A moment ago thirteen Virginians came in, and when I welcomed them back to the old flag every eye was dimmed with tears. GEORGE W. MORGAN, Brigadier-General of Volunteers. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Maj. W. S. PIERSON, Comdg. Depot of Prisoners, Johnson's Island, Sandusky, Ohio. MAJOR: I this morning telegraphed you to suspend the transfer of prisoners to Fort Warren, and the movement will only be made at a future day on reliable evidence of its urgent necessity and then singling out the leading spirits. Don't mention this. For individual cases of turbulence you have a remedy at hand in your prison. I referred Mr. Johnson to you in relation to the washing for the hos pital and prisoners. Establish rates by the month for the hospital and by the piece for the prisoners who are able to pay for their own washing. For those who are destitute of money make some arrangements for them to wash for themselves at the bay. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Lieut. Col. Eight Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. HDQRS. DETACH. 13TH REGT. CAV., MISSOURI STATE MILITIA, Colonel BOYD. Camp at Rolla, June 24, 1862. COLONEL: I have the honor to make the following report of trip to Texas County: Arrested Colonel Best, from Livingston County, Mo. (in citizen's dress), with package of letters from Confederate Army. I herewith send package. They tell us of officers and men who have come back in different parts of State. Colonel Chiles' letter intimates, besides I get from Colonel Best, that most of the Missouri troops were coming to Mississippi River with Texas and Arkansas troops. The colonel has passes as William Morris, but before I found his name in letters found men that knew him. Passes inclosed. Found Confederate money on him, here inclosed. I arrested also Moses Bradford, the noted guerrilla. He has caused us much trouble to run after him. He will cause us no more. I have James W. Tinsley, fed Coleman's men; I have John M. Richardson, fed Coleman's men; I have J. S. Halbert, Southern Army; knew of Coleman's men; did not give information. I shall keep these three for information and may yet fasten enough on them to shoot them. I will not trouble you with the real ones. I arrested a minister and congregation at the place where the Reverend Wood, who was shot by Kansas Fifth, was to have preached, and preached first to the minister then to the congregation. A more attentive audience never listened to man. I told them that they had to prove by acts that they loved our Government and we would protect them and their property. I drew more tears than the minister. Left my men (eighty) at Crow's Station to bring in all who have made threats about Reverend Wood's death. Will read orders to them to night. Will go to Hartville, Wright County, and read orders. There is a rebel force there. They have shot two Union men there. I make the rebels I shoot tell me all. I came in with letters and for more provisions and comparing information. Will shoot Best after get all from him. I have the honor to be, colonel, your obedient servant, H. TOMPKINS, Major, Comdg. Detachment 13th Regt. Cav., Missouri State Militia. [Indorsement.] Respectfully considered and forwarded to Brigadier-General Schofield, with many letters, &c. S. H. BOYD, Colonel, Commanding. 128 BROADWAY [NEW YORK CITY], June 21, 1862. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. MY DEAR SIR: On yesterday Jules, the colored servant of Mr. Soulé, now confined at Fort Lafayette, called upon me complaining that he could not have access to his master and desiring me to aid him in that behalf. I therefore addressed a note to Mr. Soulé stating that I would see him whenever the authorities gave permission, my object being to explain to him my views that the Government was right in refusing to permit him to hold levees in Fort Lafayette. On the same day Mr. Henry Harrise, a Frenchman who has a desk in my office and who is as I am informed a personal friend of Mr. Soulé, obtained from Reverdy Johnson a dispatch for Mr. Stanton, of the War Office, stating that Soulé was sick and desiring that Jules and himself might have permis sion to be with him. The servant Jules at the same time stated to me that he had then just returned from Fort Lafayette with the information that Soulé was well. I think it will be found that there will continue to be a regular correspondence between Soulé and his friends in this city and New Orleans so long as any parties excepting only the officers of the Government shall be permitted to have access to him. Some of his relations are now here on their way to Europe. His son, Nelvil Soulé, formerly a colonel in the Confederate Army and like his father present at Bull Run, is expected here from New Orleans in a few days. If correspondence between Pierre Soulé and his Southern friends continue to be carried out either through Harrise or others the Government will have only itself to blame. It will not be possible to stop such correspondence so long as the servant and others shall be permitted to run to and fro between here and the fort. Yours, respectfully and confidentially, JOHN LIVINGSTON. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 25, 1862. Governor TOD, Columbus, Ohio: I beg leave to call your attention to the following telegram just received: Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON: HEADQUARTERS, Columbia, June 24, 1862. There has lately arrived in this vicinity a large number of escaped prisoners from Camps Douglas and Chase by bribing the guards at Camp Douglas. A young man by the name of Smith who lives in Chicago furnishes assistance. The sutler in the camp knowingly sells them clothing to disguise themselves. What disposition shall Imake of these prisoners should I arrest them again? JAS. S. NEGLEY, Brigadier-General, Commanding. I would request that you make an immediate investigation and report upon the facts above stated and take measures if in your power to prevent the mischief. EDWIN M. STANTON, |