and bury such as had not yet been discovered. The number of your dead was so great, and being mostly in the timber and brush, the task of burying them has been quite an arduous one; hence the delay.

I must again call your attention to the abuse that is being made of flags of truce. I have never had occasion to send a flag of truce to your lines, yet I have received several when no legitimate object was to be obtained by the party sending them. Hereafter flags of truce will only be sent or received by me, except for the exchange of prisoners, as already mutually agreed upon at our interview on the 8th instant, and also to enable you to send supplies, medical officers, and hospital attendants to your wounded within my lines. When I send scouting and reconnoitering parties to ascertain the position of the enemy, I send them under the flag of my Government, and not with a white flag. I desire that you should do the same.

I avail myself of this opportunity to express to you my thanks for the very flattering description of the troops under my command, as contained in your address of December 4, to your soldiers upon the eye of battle. Your instructions to your soldiers to pick off my officers smacks very strongly of chivalry, and when they are especially directed to pick off mounted officers, i consider them as complimentary to myself.

I have the honor, general, to be, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. G. BLUNT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 5.] HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION, Dripping Springs, Ark., December 11, 1862.

Brigadier General JAMES G. BLUNT, U. S. Army,

Commanding Forces in the Field:

GENERAL: By direction of Major-General Hindman, I have to send under a flag of truce medicines and ambulances to the battle-ground at Prairie Grove, for the use of the Confederate wounded there. Please, give them all the assistance in your power, and oblige,

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. S. MARMADUKE,

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 6.
HEADQUARTERS First CORPS, TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ARMY, December 12, 1862.

[General BLUNT:]

GENERAL: I send the bearer, Lieutenant Lawrence, to the battle-field, for the purpose of making a plat of it and the approaches to it. I request that you grant him the privilege, under such restrictions and obligations as you may see proper to impose. This courtesy to me on your part, if extended to me, will be reciprocated whenever occasion may offer.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

T. C. HINDMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

6 R - VOL XXII, PT I