would be pursuing him, and by negotiation I could delay Morgan's march. Second. I thought he would be compelled to informally parole and release the prisoners, as he had done on previous raids. THIRD. I was a prisoner, and, of course, had nothing to do but submit to any mode of imprisonment my captors should think proper, and was entirely at their disposal. At the request of Colonel Asper, of the One hundred and seventy-first Ohio National Guard (100-day's men), I afterward consented to sign the agreement, in order that we should do what was in our power for the benefit of the captured 100-day's men. The agreement was then drawn up by General Morgan's assistant inspector-general Captain Allen. When I read it I found it contained an obligation not to take up arms or give information, and contained the requirements of a parole. Every officer present emphatically refused signing the paper, and told Captain Allen we would accept a parole, and preferred going to Richmond. After a negotiation, in which the enemy had been delayed for four hours after the fight, the annexed agreement was signed, and we returned under flag of truce to Falmouth, arriving there at dusk on the 12th of June. The night of the 12th the three rebel officers and one private were placed under guard by the provost-marshal of the town under the charge of violating the privilege of flag of truce by associating with rebel sympathizers and receiving visitors and waling around the town. It is proper to mention here that the Federal officers were the prisoners of the rebel officers, and that they passed into our lines without being met by a flag of truce, and took up with them.

As the situation of myself and other officers is a peculiar one, I would respectfully ask the decision of the proper authority in regard to the latter part of this report.

Please find inclosed the report* of Colonel J. F. Asper, One hundred and seventy-first Ohio National Guard.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. H. HOBSON,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers.

Captain J. BATES DICKSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of Kentucky.

[Inclosure.]

NEAR CYNTHIANA, KY., June 11, 1864.

I, Brigadier General E. H. Hobson, commanding forces U. S. Army, and the following officers, John S. Butler, captain and assistant adjutant-general; George G. Lott, captain and aide-de-camp; Joel F. Asper, colonel One hundred and seventy-first Ohio National Guard; Herman R. Harmon, lieutenant-colonel One hundred and seventy-first Ohio National Guard; M. A. Fowler, major One hundred and seventy-first Ohio National Guard; Lieutenant J. W. Arnett, FIFTY-second Kentucky, and W. Lee Osborn, first lieutenant and aide-de-camp, this day captured by Brigadier General John H. Morgan, C. S. Army, do hereby given our parole of honor to place ourselves in immediate communication with the military authorities of the United States for the purpose of obtaining an exchange for officers of equal rank with ourselves, and should we fail to accomplish said exchange we give our word of honor that we will report direct

---------------

*See p. 55.

---------------