HEADQUARTERS DIVISION OF MEMPHIS, Maj. Gen. SAMUEL R. CURTIS, Memphis, October 18, 1862. Commanding Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis. DEAR GENERAL: Your letter inclosing two for General Hindman was received yesterday, and I was on the point of sending them by a flag of truce to Little Rock when I received a letter from General Carr saying he had received letter from General Holmes, at Little Rock, inquiring about your answer to Hindman's letters, and saying he would exchange all the prisoners in his hands and send them to you at Saint Louis; also asking that your answer to that communication be sent via Helena. Doubtless it is best to send the flag from that point, as the bearer would pass through the country that General Carr thinks is occupied by Confederate forces. I am perfectly willing to extend all possible help to all points, but I think Carr's force is larger than mine, and that this point is one of more importance to secure. The operations of guerrilla parties on the river have been resumed, and it may be that detachments have come over from White or Saint Francis Rivers. We must devise some remedy for this. It is generally useless to send parties to the very point of attack, as after firing on a boat they generally shift their ground. I will expel every secession family from Memphis if this mode of warfare is to be continued, and will moreover land troops on unexpected points and devastate the country into the interior. If we confine the punishment to the exact points of attack we will involve our own friends and not reach the guilty parties. But it must be stopped, and I may have to touch on your side of the river, in which case Hindman and Holmes may threaten vengeance. But how they can talk about barbarous warfare when their partisans and adherents fire on unarmed boats with women and children on board I cannot imagine. Thus the Continental, Dickey and Catahoula were all boats engaged exclusively in private business, in no way connected with the Government or the army. Each case will be followed by the expulsion of ten secession families from this city of which I gave timely notice; for it is not fair that the very boats which carry supplies to their families should be fired on by their own husbands and brothers. I have sent an expedition to Island 21, and shall send another down to the second bend below Memphis, and my order may involve the destruction of some houses and corn-fields on the Arkansas side. In each case boats have been fired on from those points. There has been no firing of late from the east side. I am, with great respect, your obedient servant, W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS, New Berne, N. C., October 18, 1862. Brig. Gen. J. G. MARTIN, Commanding District of North Carolina, Raleigh, N. C. GENERAL: By flag of truce four ladies and two children have arrived and their wishes will be attended to. In regard to the Fort Macon prisoners I would say Major Hoffman was correct in his interpretation of my views and which I now repeat. Such prisoners as requested permission to and did take the oath of allegiance to the United States Government we will retain within our lines, thereby gaining a citizen and losing a soldier. Such prisoners as did not accompany Captain Manson though properly notified by him, and yet have not taken the oath of allegiance, Major Hoffman informed Lieutenant-Colonel Pool he considered as deserters within our lines; and though a loss to your side were not a gain to ours-in fact that they should be reported and considered by you as deserters as much as though it were in the fields. Though this view may perhaps be correct I am willing rather than to be considered as unfair or as taking advantage of the fact of these men being within our lines that they should be sent out, and if LieutenantColonel Pool will again send his correct lists of such men as have not been delivered I will take the necessary steps to send them out. Captain Simons' [Guion's] company were not notified by Captain Manson of their exchange and have not been sent across the lines in consequence. Lieutenant-Colonel Pool gave Major Hoffman a list of the men of this company. This list has been published in the New Berne Progress and the men named in it ordered to appear in New Berne and report to the provost-marshal to be sent to your lines. Major Hoffman was correct in saying that lists of those exchanged men retained by us would be sent to our commissioner for the exchange of prisoners [illegible] be credited with the number. Your objection being that your holding such an excess of prisoners a long time must elapse before you could profit by the credit given, &c., I would say in reply to that, by the fortunes of war the reverse is as likely to be the case in a week as in six months. The outrage of which Acting Assistant Adjutant General Everett writes I have ordered immediately investigated, and though I cannot credit the truth of the report should it prove to be true the offenders will be surely punished and every reparation made. Mr. Hurst will be sent out the lines. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. G. FOSTER, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE SOUTHWEST, Camp at Helena, Ark., October 18, 1862. Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN, Commanding, Memphis, Tenn. GENERAL: Major-General Curtis, commanding the Department of the Missouri, has received a communication from General Hindman in which some complaints are made to which Major-General Curtis informs me he has sent replies through you. Major-General Curtis desires me to make inquiries and report to you, so that my report can go out with the communication which you will send. In regard to Private Peebles, said to have been tied by Colonel Fitch to the wheelhouse to be shot at, I cannot ascertain what has become of him, but know that he was not shot. In regard to Lieutenant Tolleson, "said to be held as a prisoner sentenced to be shot," I can hear nothing of him and there is no prisoner here in that situation, nor do I know of any one having been in that situation at this place at any time. In regard to Samuel Berry, said to have been murdered by our troops at Council Bend, a Major Berry was shot at by lawless stragglers at that place, but I have since seen him at this post alive and well and paid him for produce. He says he was not hit. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. A. CARR, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, SAINT LOUIS, October 18, 1862. Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C. COLONEL: I experience some difficulty in dealing with prisoners of war confined at Gratiot Street Prison. I have not received an official copy of the cartel for the exchange of prisoners, but a newspaper report of its tenor informs me that "all prisoners of war are to be discharged on parole ten days after their capture" and the terms of the cartel as reported extend to privates as well as to commissioned officers. There are prisoners here whom General Curtis does not think it proper to parole-indeed, he declares himself opposed to the paroling of any unless with a view to their immediate departure from our lines. But the prisoners claim their parole under the cartel. I beg to be informed whether those now in confinement as prisoners of war who have been captured more than ten days are entitled of right to be discharged on parole under the cartel, and whether the circumstance of there being no transportation ready to convey them to Vicksburg will justify the refusal of their discharge on parole. I make this inquiry of you because an order from headquarters of the Department of the Mississippi places all prisoners in this department under my care. This was prior to the arrangement of the cartel in July, but this does not prevent my being continually applied to as if my powers in this respect were plenary. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOS. T. GANTT, Provost-Marshal-General for Missouri and Iowa. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, General ROBERT E. LEE, October 19, 1862. Commanding Army of Northern Virginia. GENERAL: I have the honor to return by Lieut. Col. Frederick Myers, assistant quartermaster, U. S. Army, twenty-seven wagons and teams furnished by General A. P. Hill at Harper's Ferry in September last for the transportation of private baggage belonging to certain paroled officers of the U. S. Army passing to within our lines. In so doing I desire to express my appreciation of the courtesy thus extended to these officers and to request that you will convey the same to General Hill with my thanks for his action in the matter. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Maj. Gen. U. S. GRANT, GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General, Commanding. SAINT LOUIS, October 19, 1862. Commanding District of Tennessee, Jackson, Tenn.: I call your attention to the fact that rebel paroled prisoners have come through your lines to these headquarters. Doctor Scott was sent back yesterday and Private Bacon here to-day will be put in confinement if he does not take an oath of allegiance and give bond to my satisfaction for his good behavior. I do not understand that paroled enemies are to remain in our lines, but on their own side. Doctor Scott came with a provost-marshal's pass on parole from General Rosecrans' headquarters. S. R. CURTIS, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS NORTHEAST MISSOURI DISTRICT, Col. S. M. WIRT, Commanding Knox County Enrolled Missouri Militia. COLONEL: A letter was sent you to-day by mail in reply to your for mer communication in regard to the surrender of prisoners. It will be modified this far: I have no authority to say that they will be exchanged and do not think such authority will be given. If, however, they will surrender you may say to them that they will be held as prisoners and not executed. Such of them as have violated their parole will be held until they have received the punishment due to their offense by impris onment, and if the President chooses to sanction it will be exchanged. This last I cannot promise them, however. As soon as I am satisfied that bushwhacking has ceased those will be released upon parole and bond who have not heretofore engaged in any raid or for whom this is the first offense. They will, however, be held in confinement until I am satisfied that the influences which have been used to drive them to the brush no longer are in existence. These are the most favorable terms that can well be offered them. You will be allowed all reasonable discretion in treating with them, remembering that it is cheaper to feed them than to fight them. I am, colonel, very respectfully, LEWIS MERRILL, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS NORTHEAST DISTRICT OF MISSOURI, Col. S. M. WIRT, Enrolled Militia, Edina, Mo. COLONEL: The general commanding directs me to inform you that you are authorized to permit the surrender of all bushwhackers except Franklin, Porter, Dun and Ralph Smith upon the following conditions: 1. The lives of all who surrender will be spared. 2. All who surrender will be held as prisoners of war, and as soon as the conduct of their fellows in the brush warrants the belief that bushwhacking will stop such of them as have not heretofore violated their parole will be released upon parole and bond. You will require such as surrender to bring in their horses and arms and will prefer their sur rendering in companies. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHNSON'S ISLAND, Near Sandusky, October 19, 1862. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington. SIR: We the undersigned, prisoners of war, do most respectfully represent that while we were confined in the military prison at Louisville, Ky., in August last, we were required by the authorities of the prison to surrender our money and were promised that it should be returned to us or kept for our use. We thus gave up the sum in the aggregate, as required, of $800. This was represented to us to be by the order of General J. T. Boyle. Afterwards, when we were removed from the prison at Louisville to Camp Chase we were informed that by the order of General Boyle our money had been confiscated. We cannot believe that the Government of the United States would permit prisoners to be deprived of their property in this manner without a trial or condemnation. To have the money they had provided to purchase the necessaries while in prison taken from them we are reluctant to believe would be authorized by the Government. We would therefore, sir, respectfully call your attention to the fact and request that some remedy may be provided whereby we may be reimbursed for our losses, that our money may be returned to us. Hoping that this may call for your early attention, we are, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servants, J. M. Young, gold $125, paper $35; D. R. Shindler, $325; Jas. M. Rice, $36; William McClaskey, $9; Dock Callaway, note $5,000, $86; J. B. McCoy, $45; Charles H. Shively, $39; John Chandler, $10.50; William Polesgrove, $8; William L. Swindler, $48 gold, $25 silver, $20 paper; Joseph H. Smith, $12; D. B. Merrifield, $15; S. F. Wilkinson, $10; John Edwards, $12. [Indorsement.] Respectfully referred to General J. T. Boyle for information. W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. Major-General CURTIS: JACKSON, TENN., October 20, 1862. I have given no authority for paroled prisoners to go North. None have been permitted to go who declined being paroled, but wanted to take the oath of allegiance and get where they could not be made to serve again. U. S. GRANT, Major-General CURTIS: CORINTHI, MISS., October 20, 1862. The Saint Louis Democrat reports the arrest of Dr. Joseph Scott by Major McConnel, who it seems declares that General Rosecrans had no right to take his parole. Medical officers are exempt from capture. Doctor Scott, unquestionably a man of honor, gave parole of a most solemn character to abstain from every act that could do mischief and from talking about army persons or army matters, under which he was permitted to go. Of course I did not assume the right to admit Doctor Scott within your department. I think it would be both just and polite that he should be notified in case of your refusal and permitted to return within the limits of this command. W. S. ROSECRANS, |