war with the United States." Major-General McClellan having authorized the release of Asst. Surg. Wyatt M. Brown, of the C. S. Army, on your receiving a similar release this fully effects a mutual exchange. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, BENJ. HUGER, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Col. J. DIMICK, U. S. Army, Washington, December 26, 1861. Commanding Fort Warren, Boston, Mass. SIR: The general-in-chief directs that Col. J. A. J. Bradford, confined in Fort Warren as a prisoner taken in arms, be released on parole, to go via Fort Monroe to Norfolk, with the understanding that he will then be exchanged for Col. William Hoffman, U. S. Army, now under parole. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, L. THOMAS, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Hon. J. W. GRIMES, U. S. Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: In reply to the letter of Mr. Jones,* I have the honor to state that I will use my best efforts to have the non-paroled officers and enlisted men now prisoners in Texas released at an early day. So soon as the rebels reply by returning Union men for a number of their own recently sent South it is the intention of the Department to take steps tending toward the release and return of all Union prisoners. I have taken a copy of Mr. Jones' letter, with the object of submitting it to the Secretary of War, so that, if possible, the officers and men referred to may be among the first returned. I am, sir, &c., L. THOMAS, Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., January 4, 1862. Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit for your consideration, and I trust for the approval of the Department, this earnest application that a transfer may be early made to the public enemy of such person now held as a military prisoner by the Government as shall secure my release from a similar condition; and that, if most expedient, authority may be granted me to tender to the enemy for such transfer the name and person of the party, at such time and place as shall be designated, or that I may be instructed in whatever other form of exchange shall meet the views of the Department. Should the Department decline to entertain my request, I respectfully ask that I may be included in the earliest exchange of those prisoners *Not found. now held by the enemy in Texas, and I beg your indulgence in presenting my reasons for making this request. Every officer remaining loyal in the command of Colonel Reeve (including myself) surrendered in Texas, signed a parole of honor, by which they were given the limits of the so-called Confederate Confederacy. Every soldier who remained loyal of that command signed a parole giving them the limits of the county of Bexar, State of Texas. After the signing of such paroles the camp of the men constituting the command was removed eight miles from the city of San Antonio and away from the vicinity of their officers, who were, by this act and by virtue of the liberty of the parole which the men had signed, separated from their men, and by a special order issued in the premises (a copy of which is inclosed) the men were placed exclusively under the charge of Confederate officers, while their own officers were removed from them and were not allowed to provide for or control them in any manner. Under these circumstances I believed it to be most proper to present myself to the Department that I might be exchanged and again made useful. But in order to gain permission to leave the Confederate States a much more restricted parole was exacted in Richmond. In this whole matter I have acted with the sole desire of doing my duty in the best manner, and it is a source of extreme mortification to me. that the Department does not consider that this has been accomplished; for I have never designedly turned my face from either duty or danger, and in this case have erred on the side of an active desire to perform what I considered to be demanded. With the highest respect, I remain, general, your obedient servant, SPECIAL ORDERS, [Inclosure.] HEADQUARTERS TROOPS IN TEXAS, San Antonio, June 8, 1861. I. The U. S. soldiers now held as prisoners of war in this city will be, on Monday next, moved from their present quarters into camp on or near the Salado River, at such point as may be selected by First Lieut. Edward Ingraham, C. S. Army, who, with Lieutenant Bradley and the cavalry company under his command, is hereby detailed as their guard. Lieutenant Ingraham will superintend the removal of these prisoners and see them properly encamped, provided for, and strictly guarded. The officers are relieved from the further control of the men, and the company commanders will furnish these headquarters with copies of the muster-rolls of their companies. By order of Col. Earl Van Dorn: T. A. WASHINGTON, Captain, Assistant Adjutant-General, C. S. Army. HDQRS. OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Washington, January 7, 1862. Commanding Department of the Missouri, St. Louis, Mo. SIR: It is the desire of the Government that five of our officers and some 240 rank and file of the Eighth Infantry, detained as prisoners in Texas, should be exchanged for any prisoners taken in arms by us either in Missouri or elsewhere. The names of the officers are: Maj. and Bvt. Lieut. Col. J. V. Bomford, Sixth Infantry; First Lieut. W. G. Jones, Tenth Infantry; Capt. Z. R. Bliss, Eighth Infantry; First Lieut. J. J. Van Horn, Eighth Infantry; and First Lieut. R. T. Frank, Eighth Infantry. You are authorized to take any steps which will not commit the Government of the United States toward bringing about the release of these officers and men. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, L. THOMAS, DAYTON, OHIO, January 7, 1862. Major-General HALLECK, U. S. Army. DEAR SIR: Without the honor of a personal acquaintance, I beg leave thus to address you upon a subject very near to my heart. I left, in and near San Antonio, Tex., some 300 prisoners of war, shamefully but unavoidably captured under Colonel Reeve, at "Adams' Hill," in May last. The absolute inevitableness of their surrender, and the unexampled constancy in loyalty of these men, and the worth of their unfortunate officers (well known, perhaps, to you), constitute, in my opinion, strong grounds for the interposition of our Government in their behalf. And inasmuch as your Department must be incumbered by the care of your prisoners of war, and may need the service of such competent and faithful officers, as well as of such well-disciplined and loyal soldiers, I beg leave to suggest an exchange of an equal number of yours for them through the correspondent department of Ben. McCulloch. Trusting that you will not deem this request an impertinence, but actuated by my zeal in the cause of our country and by my earnest friendship for these unfortunate sufferers, I hope you will find their case worthy of your interest and susceptible to your relief. I am, sir, very truly yours, &c., CHARLES ANDERSON. HDQURS. OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Maj. Gen. J. E. WOOL, U. S. ARMY, Washington, January 10, 1862. Comdg. Department of Southeast Virginia, Fort Monroe, Va. SIR: The general in-chief desires that you propose an exchange between Col. J. A. J. Bradford, of North Carolina, and Lieut. Col. William Hoffman, Eighth Infantry, so that they may be mutually released from their paroles. I am, sir, &c., L. THOMAS, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, &C., Maj. Gen. B. HUGER, Commanding at Norfolk, Va. * GENERAL: * * I would propose for exchange the names of Maj. and Bvt. Lieut. Col. J. V. Bomford, Sixth Infantry; First Lieut. W. G. Jones, Tenth Infantry; Capt. Z. R. Bliss, Eighth Infantry; First Lieut. J. J. Van Horn, Eighth Infantry, and First Lieut. R. T. Frank, Eighth Infantry, now detained as prisoners at Texas, all of whom, if released on parole, I have no doubt would procure the exchange of a similar number of Southern officers of like rank now in charge of the Federal Government. I would propose in the same way the exchange of the men of the Eighth Infantry now in Texas. If Lieut. James T. Lasselle, Lieutenant Allen, and Adjt. John W. Pool, now at Fort Warren, are of the same rank as First Lieut. W. G. Jones, Tenth Infantry; First Lieut. J. J. Van Horn, Eighth Infantry, and First Lieut. R. T. Frank, Eighth Infantry I would propose an exchange with those officers, or any of them. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN E. WOOL, Major-General. SAINT LOUIS, January 12, 1862. With CHARLES ANDERSON, Esq., Dayton, Ohio. SIR: I have often asked for authority to exchange prisoners of war, but have not received any answer, except in two special cases. out proper authority I cannot act in this matter. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, Major-General. No. 30 CLINTON PLACE, NEW YORK CITY, General L. THOMAS, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Lieutenant-Colonel Eighth Infantry. Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, SAINT LOUIS, January 12, 1862. Adjutant-General of the Army, Washington. GENERAL: Your letter of the 7th in relation to the exchange of certain prisoners in Texas is received, but I do not understand its meaning in this: that I am not to commit the Government. If by this it is * See Thomas to Dimick, December 26. meant that I am to act in an unofficial capacity, I must respectfully decline doing so. I cannot negotiate the exchange of prisoners except in my official capacity as an authorized agent of the United States. Neither General Polk nor General Price have charge of the prisoners in Texas, and must refer any proposition of mine to their Government. Am I authorized to open negotiations with either of these gentlemen for the exchange of prisoners of war? If permitted to do this I can effect the exchange of others, and possibly of those row in Texas. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. HALLECK, HDQRS. OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Hon. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy. SIR: In reply to your letter of the 10th instant* I have the honor to inform you that the exchange of Lieut. W. G. Jones and Assistant Surgeon Lynde, U. S. Army, will be agreeable to the War Department. With the papers returned in your letter, herewith inclosed, at your request, I respectfully forward a copy of a letter to Colonel Dimick, of the 10th instant, in relation to the exchange of Lieutenant Dalton, late U. S. Navy, and Captain Tansill and Lieutenant Tattnall, late of the U. S. Marine Corps. I have the honor, &c., L. THOMAS, FORT WARREN, BOSTON HARBOR, General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel First Artillery, Commanding Post. |