Col. E. D. TOWNSEND, HEADQUARTERS ARTILLERY BRIGADE, Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C. COLONEL: I understand that all at Annapolis (from the morning papers) are exchanged. If this is the case I would ask permission to send an officer, Major McKay, to take charge of the men of my regiment and bring all to the regiment. Many I understand have already left for their homes, and I fear unless I have some one to take charge of them that more will leave for their homes. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel Second New York [Heavy Artillery]. [Indorsement.] ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, November 17, 1862. Respectfully referred to Colonel Hoffman, commissary-general of prisoners. Prompt steps should be taken to have the men and officers exchanged sent to their regiments. The order announcing the last exchange is in course of preparation. Would Colonel Hoffman like to suggest any instructions to be embodied in the order relative to the above desirable object? E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. LEXINGTON, KY., November 13, 1862. Major-General WRIGHT, Headquarters, Cincinnati, Ohio. DEAR GENERAL: I called on General Granger to-night to arrange a system of exchange for Kentucky home-guards arrested and paroled by the rebel forces when in this State, and as he has determined to refer the matter to you, allow me to offer a word or two. These homeguards are voluntary associations for home defense, not in National or State service, receive no pay and lawfully subject to no orders. Many of them have been arrested and paroled by the rebels in violation of right or usage among civilized belligerents, and whilst it is of no lawful force it may entail consequences upon the parties paroled they are unwilling to risk. A general order releasing them would not satisfy them. To send them off for exchange would be dignifying an unlawful act. The remedy I would suggest is to have arrested an equal number of rebel sympathizers in our midst and proceed at once to exchange them upon the spot. This might be so effected as to command rebel observance. We greatly need these paroled home-guards for State defense under our militia system. I hope you will not modify General Buell's order in regard to rebel recruits or those giving active aid and assistance. We must rid the State of those men and we have already had too many oaths and bonds violated to trust further in them. I further hope the decision of all questions under arrests made in this part of the State will be referred to the commanding general and not to General Boyle. The action of General Boyle has been so capricious as to forfeit the confidence of loyal men here. Very truly, yours, W. C. GOODLOE. [First indorsement.] HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 25, 1862. Respectfully referred to the commissary-general of prisoners with the request that he inform me whether the proposition of Judge Goodloe is admissible. It is very desirable that the home-guards of Kentucky who have been paroled by the rebels be released from such parole if possible. Some, probably all, the home-guards paroled have been so paroled as not to be subject to exchange. H. G. WRIGHT, Major-General, Commanding. [Second indorsement.] Article 4 of the cartel clearly prescribed the parole to be given by those captured and any other restrictions imposed are null and void. This is also the view of Mr. Ould. Errors in paroles are frequently committed by subordinate officers in both armies and the case of the Kentucky home-guards is an instance in point. The admission that these men are needed in the military service of Kentucky in addition to the fact of their being a military organization, although not mustered in, clearly requires their exchange under the cartel. I will invite the attention of Mr. Ould to the subject. Send paroles of lists recently sent. Declare the additional list of Indiana troops at Munfordville exchanged. [W. HOFFMAN.] WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 14, 1862. Governor MORTON, Indianapolis: Please report immediately, first, the regimental number of the Indiana paroled prisoners referred to in your telegram; second, the number and rank of officers and what number of men are ready for exchange; third, where they were taken prisoners and the date; fourth, where they now are. The agent of exchange is here and leaves this evening. Immediate answer required. EDWIN M. STANTON, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Major-General HALLECK, Commanding Armies of the United States. GENERAL: I beg leave to inclose to you my communication to General Pemberton, of the Confederate forces, upon the subject of the murder of seven of my soldiers. When two companies of the Eighth Vermont Regiment surrendered at Bayou des Allemands there were enlisted in those companies and surrendered as prisoners of war with them seven German residents of Louisiana, who owed no farther allegiance to the State of Louisiana than we all owe to our States by being inhabitants thereof. Because of their enlistment with us they were tried for desertion from the militia in which they had never acted, and for treason to the State of Louisiana, to which they never owed allegiance because they were naturalized citizens of the United States, were found guilty of these supposed offenses only, and were executed in obedience to the orders of a militia court-martial, acting by orders of Major-General Lewis, of the militia of this State. I have treated of the subject in my letter to General Pemberton, to which I beg leave to refer you. I send also a partial copy of the proceedings of that court-martial which I have captured, from which you will learn the facts. I beg specific instructions upon this matter. I hope and trust those instructions will be to shoot twice as many more of the Confederate prisoners of war in retaliation. I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. [Inclosure No. 1.] HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, General PEMBERTON, Commanding Forces, Holly Springs. I beg to call your attention to the fact that the two lieutenants of the Indiana regiment for whose exchange I sent Captain Murphy, of the Confederate Navy, have not been released. Captain Murphy has not returned and reported to these headquarters. May I ask you to see that they are released? I have some 200 prisoners whom I will send to you as soon as transportation can be spared, with this exception-I shall retain fourteen of the most considerable of them, including Brigadier-General Clark, until I receive instructions from my Government as to the course to be taken in relation to the proceedings of a pretended court-martial held under the pretended authority of Major-General Lewis by which seven U. S. soldiers have been executed for no crime. The charges allege "desertion and treason." But that desertion is only supported by the fact that as residents and citizens of Louisiana they formed a part of the supposed militia of Louisiana. There is no pretense that they had ever been in the field. They had been duly enlisted in the service of the United States, were surrendered prisoners of war, were made to dig their own graves and then wantonly murdered. You will be pleased to inform me whether this act is assumed by the Confederate Government. 1 have enlisted a number of thousands of the inhabitants of the State of Louisiana into the Army of the United States, and I am naturally desirous to know whether this course is to be taken toward them when they surrender [as] prisoners of war. I need not say to you that I know how to protect myself and my soldiers from such acts. To you, formerly a soldier of the U. S. Army, knowing the laws and rules of war, I need not further enlarge upon the probable consequences of allowing the proceedings of such a court to go on unrevised. The copy of the proceedings in my hands is not complete, but is so sufficiently to show the nature of the transaction. I have desired and still desire in all cases to conduct the war according to its usages among civilized nations; but this transaction cannot be tolerated. I have the honor to be, &c., JOHN LEIGHTER, B. F. BUTLER, [Inclosure No. 2.] HEADQUARTERS LA FOURCHE REGIMENT, A Prisoner now Incarcerated in Jail at Thibodeaux: You are hereby notified that pursuant to General Orders, No. 139, of Maj. Gen. J. L. Lewis, commanding Louisiana forces, a general court-martial will assemble at the court-house in the town of Thibodeaux (parish of La Fourche) at 10 o'clock a. m. on Monday, the 22d instant, or so soon thereafter as practicable, for the trial of yourself or such other prisoners as may be brought before it. The charges and specifications under which you are to be tried accompany this order. Detail of officers of court-martial: 1. Col. J. R. Bisland, Terre Bonne Regiment, president. 2. Lieut. Col. W. Minor, Terre Bonne Regiment. 3. Lieut. Col. W. D. Burton, La Fourche Regiment. 4. Capt. C. C. Williams, Company C, La Fourche Regiment. 5. Capt. C. M. Gillis, Company B, La Fourche Regiment. 6. Capt. J. S. Perkins, Company D, La Fourche Regiment. 7. Capt. R. R. McBride, Company G, La Fourche Regiment. 8. Capt. E. D. Guidry, Company G, Terre Bonne Regiment. 9. Capt. E. J. Hotard, Company D, Terre Bonne Regiment. 10. Lieut. A. F. Knobloch, Company F, Terre Bonne Regiment. 11. Lieut. Thos. J. Hargis, Company K, Terre Bonne Regiment. 12. Lieut. J. P. Tucker, Company C, La Fourche Regiment. 13. Lieut. E. W. Blake, acting adjutant La Fourche Regiment, judgeadvocate. 14. Lieut. W. H. Ragan, La Fourche Regiment, provost-marshal. Charges and specifications. No. 1. JOHN LEIGHTER, a German, from La Fourche Parish. FIRST CHARGE: Desertion. First Specification. In that the said John Leighter, being a private in the La Fourche militia, having enjoyed the privileges of a resident and a citizen, did desert when called upon to serve in the militia and was found in the ranks of the enemy at the surrender of Bayou des Allemands. SECOND CHARGE: Treason and violation of Article 57 of the Articles of War. First Specification. In that the said John Leighter did, with several others, arrest and deliver over to the enemy of the State a Confederate officer, one Lieutenant Perry; this about the first part of the month of July. Second Specification.—In that the prisoner did act as a spy and guide for the enemy in their marauding excursions upon the Vacherie. The foregoing charges and specifications are proffered by Col. Thomas E. Vick, of the La Fourche Regiment. Your list of witnesses must be handed in to the judge-advocate immediately. E. W. BLAKE, Judge-Advocate. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, SANDUSKY, OHIO, November 14, 1862. Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C. COLONEL: I have the honor to ask if I shall make preparations to store provisions for the winter. Thus far I have only required about ten or twelve days' rations to be furnished ahead. To-day I have ordered one month's supplies. I would be glad if you inform me at your earliest convenience whether I shall store three months' supplies or not. To-day I received $27,000 subsistence funds. I can now pay up everything in the subsistence department, but in the quartermaster's department I owe over $20,000-to Gregg and West about $5,000, of long standing; to Bristol, pay for his boat since 1st of June. My requisitions have all been allowed by the Quartermaster-General, and he has informed me that he has required on the Treasury for the amount, but still I hear nothing from it. The money is very much needed. I would like to pay Bristol very much. He is sorely in need of money. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS, Camp Douglas, Chicago, November 14, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C. COLONEL: I am directed by Brigadier-General Tyler, commanding, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant authorizing the reduction of the rations to the paroled men at this camp by a scale proposed and inclosed in your letter. Since the arrival of the paroled men at Camp Douglas the regimental and company organizations have been kept up, and the men have been required to do guard duty and to drill without arms the same as if not paroled. Under this state of things, which it is hoped will keep this command in a healthy state of discipline until exchanged and thus render it efficient in the |