should be selected by lot and held as a hostage for one Smith convicted of piracy in Philadelphia, and that the ten remaining field officers held as prisoners here and three captains to be selected by lot from all held as prisoners should be held as hostages for thirteen men on trial for piracy in New York, and that the punishment of the officers held as hostages would be precisely the same as that of the prisoners on trial or tried in Philadelphia and New York. The name of Colonel Corcoran, of the Sixty-ninth New York Militia, was drawn and he is retained as a hostage for Smith and is to be treated as a condemned felon. The following officers are to be retained as hostages for the thirteen prisoners in New York: Colonels Wood, Fourteenth New York; Willcox, First Michigan; Lee, Twentieth Massachusetts; Cogswell, Tammany Regiment [Forty-second New York], and captain, Eighth Infantry; Woodruff, Second Kentucky. Lieutenant-Colonels Neff, Second Kentucky, and Bowman, Eighth Pennsylvania. Majors Revere, Twentieth Massachusetts; Potter, Thirty-eighth New York, and Vogdes, First U. S. Artillery. Captains Ricketts, First U. S. Artillery; Rockwood, Fifteenth Massachusetts, and McQuaide, Thirty-eighth New York. Captain Thomas Cox, of the First Kentucky, offered to take the place of Captain Ricketts but was refused. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel Tammany Regiment and Captain, Eighth Infantry. NOVEMBER 12. P. S.-Captains Ricketts and McQuaide being wounded were withdrawn from the list by Mr. Benjamin and Captains Bowman, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, and Keffer, of Baker's California Regiment, were selected by lot to fill their places to-day. All on the list who are in Richmond will be sent to the county jail to-day or to-morrow. RICHMOND PRISON, VA., November 11, 1861. SIR: This lets you know that I am in as good health and spirits as could be expected under confinement so long. It is now sixteen weeks since I was taken with many more on the battlefield at Bull Run, and since that many more have been taken and brought here. They number in all who have been brought to Richmond as many as 2,600 or 2,700. Some arrived as late as last night—a few from Fairfax and Leesburg; and before over 700 from the Leesburg battle of the 21st of October, and on the north side of the Potomac, which no doubt you have got the news of. I think that through and by the same flag of truce that this comes other versions and the details of the battle will be sent by officers in full knowledge of the facts from the spot which of course you will become acquainted with. There is one thing I wish to let you know, which is this: The general in charge of this post, Richmond, Brigadier General Winder, with five or six other officers came into prison yesterday at 4 p. m., called us officers to order and stated that he had an order from the War Depart ment to ballot one out of the highest rank of the six colonels now prisoners of war in their possession and the one balloted and drawn to be placed in a cell in prison similar to that in which the condemned pirate Smith, at Philadelphia, is placed and to be disposed of according to his fate. The ballots being prepared the names of the six were as follows: 1. Colonel Lee, Twentieth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. 2. Colonel Cogswell, Forty-second New York Zouaves. 3. Colonel Corcoran, Sixty-ninth New York State Militia. 4. Colonel Woodruff, Second Kentucky Regiment. 5. Colonel Willcox, First Michigan Regiment. 6. Colonel Wood, Fourteenth New York State Militia, Brooklyn. They were placed fairly in a tin or ballot box, a cap covering it, and then well shaken. The drawer appointed by the general was the Hou. Alfred Ely, M. C., of Rochester, N. Y. It so happened that the said lot fell on Michael Corcoran, colonel of the Sixty-ninth Regiment New York State Militia, now at Castle Pinckney, near Charleston, S. C. Then the other five colonels were to stand with others next in rank to them against and in lieu of the other thirteen under trial for piracy, and also to be dealt with accordingly. The officers next in rank to make up the thirteen are: Major Potter, Thirty-eighth Regiment New York Volunteers. Major Revere, Twentieth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. Major Vogdes, First U. S. Artillery. Then out from among the captains were drawn three to make up the thirteen, the drawing done by Mr. Ely. It happened that the first three drawn from the box were these: 1. Captain McQuaide, Thirty-eighth New York Regiment—not expected to survive wounds received at the battle of Manassas. 2. Captain Rockwood, Fifteenth Massachusetts. 3. Captain Ricketts, First U. S. Artillery. He still lies in a critical condition since the 22d of July in one of the hospitals here. His wife has been his attendant ever since she could get to him. It was emphatically stated that whatever course was taken with those thirteen pirates by our Government the same course would be followed in dealing with those selected in this way, so that we wait impatiently to know the fate of our brother officers. I remain, yours, most respectfully, JOHN WHYTE, First Lieut., Seventy-ninth Regiment New York State Militia. NOVEMBER 12-10 a. m. P. S.-General Winder has just come to the prison and called the captains, eleven in number, and balloted two out from them in place of the two whom I have mentioned as not fit to be removed from the hospital to the prison cells. The two drawn happened to be: 1. Captain Keffer, Company H, First California Regiment, Philadelphia. 2. Captain Bowman, Company E, Fifteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. Preparations are being made to put the selected in the cells of the county prisons. We trust there will be no hanging and we are all in pretty good spirits. W. Major-General HUGER, U.S. FLAG-SHIP MINNESOTA, Hampton Roads, November 12, 1861. Commanding Department, &c., Norfolk, Va. SIR: On the 29th ultimo Lieut. Albert Kautz, U. S. Navy, being a prisoner at Richmond, was kindly granted a parole of fifty days by the Confederate authorities for the purpose of effecting an exchange, pledging himself to return as a prisoner if he failed to accomplish the object. I have now under my control several individuals formerly lieutenants in the U. S. Navy,* held in custody I suppose because of their desire to join the Confederate cause, and among them is Mr. Henry K. Stevens, of South Carolina, whom you may know from the fact of his having married a daughter of General Totten. I beg to suggest to you that he may be received in place of Lieutenant Kautz. If you agree to this I will send Mr. Stevens to you forthwith. Furthermore I beg to say to you that Lieutenant Sharp, of your service, is also now under my control and at hand. If you will assure me that Lieutenant Worden shall be sent to me without delay and without exactions. I will release Lieutenant Sharp unconditionally without waiting for the arrival of Lieutenant Worden and send him to you by a flag of truce. Respectfully, your obedient servant, L. M. GOLDSBOROUGH, Flag-Officer, Commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, I. In compliance with Special Orders, No. 170, of the 12th ultimo from the Headquarters of the Army, the following named prisoners now confined in the Old Capitol will be sent with as little delay as practicable to Fort McHenry and thence to Old Point Comfort, Va., from which place they are to be forwarded through the lines under a flag of truce. Brig. Gen. Andrew Porter, provost-marshal, will furnish a suitable guard for the prisoners to Fort McHenry, and the Quartermaster's Department will provide the necessary transportation for the execution of this order.t * * # By command of Major-General McClellan: S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General. FORT WARREN, Boston Harbor, November 13, 1861. General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. SIR: In obedience to the instructions contained in yours of the 8th ultimo I have the honor to forward herewith a roll‡ of 250 prisoners of war. To make out this list I have with care selected the sick, feeble and infirm; secondly, the maimed, and lastly the boys or young men far under age. I have included Lieut. Col. C. H. Tyler, Contederate service. He tells me he was considered and treated as a prisoner of war until he arrived at Fort Lafayette. The list furnished me by that post does not give the reason for the confinement of the prisoners but *Lieut. H. K. Stevens, of South Carolina, Lieut. Benjamin P. Loyall, of Virginia, Walter R. Butt, of Virginia, H. H. Dalton, of North Carolina-on frigate Congress, off Newport News. + Nominal list of thirty-seven names, all soldiers except one civilian, omitted. + Omitted. is merely headed as a "List of prisoners." Accompanying this communication you will please find the certificate* of Dr. Peters stating that Colonel Tyler is in very feeble health. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel First Artillery, Commanding Post. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORFOLK, Flag-Officer L. M. GOLDSBOROUGH, Commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. SIR: I am in receipt of your letter of the 12th instant. As the Secretary of War has authorized me in his letter of October 16 (a copy of which has been sent you) to exchange Lieutenant Worden for Lieutenant Sharp I will send Lieutenant Worden to you as soon as he is placed at my disposal. I telegraphed last evening to the Secretary of War requesting Lieutenant Worden might be sent to me at once, as the Secretary proposed in his letter above referred to. If you will allow Lieutenant Sharp to come here at once as you so politely offer I will retain him. here until the arrival of Lieutenant Worden and make the exchange on perfectly equal terms without any conditions or exactions whatever. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, BENJ. HUGER, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORFOLK, Flag-Officer L. M. GOLDSBOROUGH, Commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. SIR: I will refer your letter of the 12th instant to my Government for instructions concerning the exchange of Lieut. Albert Kautz. As this Government has on all occasions been ready to exchange prisoners on fair terms according to the usages of civilized nations I have no doubt they will accept your proposition. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, BENJ. HUGER, Major-General, Commanding Department. U. S. FLAG-SHIP MINNESOTA, Hampton Roads, November 13, 1861. Maj. Gen. BENJAMIN HUGER, Commanding Department, &c., Norfolk, Va. SIR: I am not instructed or authorized by my Government to make a formal exchange of prisoners on any terms. What I proposed to you in my letter of yesterday in relation to Lieutenant Sharp was that if you would assure me that Lieutenant Worden should be sent to me * Omitted. without delay and without exactions I on my part would release Lieutenant Sharp unconditionally without waiting for the arrival of Lieutenant Worden and send him to you by a flag of truce. The last paragraph of your letter of to-day wherein if I understand you aright you intimate a formal exchange induces me to suppose that possibly I may not hitherto have made myself clearly understood, and hence the reason why I now address you with the view of saying that I am not at liberty to act upon any other grounds than those above mentioned, which in effect amount to this: Give me one and I will give you the other, all formalities in the matter itself to be dispensed with and no conditions to be imposed upon either individual. If you will accept these Lieutenant Sharp shall be put at your disposal forthwith. Respectfully, your obedient servant, L. M. GOLDSBOROUGH, Flag-Officer, Commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORFOLK, Flag Officer L. M. GOLDSBOROUGH, Commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. SIR: I am in receipt of your letter of the 13th instant. To avoid any misunderstanding I refer you to my instructions, the letter of the Secretary of War* to me dated October 16, a copy of which has been sent to you. In your letter of the 12th instant you say "I will release Lieutenant Sharp unconditionally," but the previous part of the same sentence makes this condition, viz, that I shall assure you "that Lieutenant Worden shall be sent to you." If this is not exchange what is it? As authorized by my instructions I am ready to exchange Lieutenant Worden for Lieutenant Sharp. I remain your obedient servant, BENJ. HUGER, Major-General, Commanding. Department OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, General M. C. MEIGS, Sandusky, Ohio, November 15, 1861. Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose herewith the leaset for the land to be occupied on Johnson's Island for the depot of prisoners of war; also the contract and bondt for the erection of the buildings, all made under my direction. Some little additional expense has been put on the buildings to make them more suitable for this winter climate and I have allowed the contractors $1,500 to cover the increased expense of erecting the buildings on the island, an amount which seems to me only reasonable. The quarters for the officers who are prisoners will accommodate 256 persons, one-fourth more than on my estimate, and have four small rooms and two large ones in each building for messrooms and kitchens. All the quarters with the hospital, store and block-houses and the fencing which on account of the character of the *See Benjamin to Huger, p. 729. † Omitted. |