While at Lancaster the following communications were sent to and received from Major-General Wheeler by flag of truce, and a number of prisoners were exchanged:

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY COMMAND, AND OF INVASION.

In the Field, S. C., February 22, 1865.

Major-General WHEELER,
Commanding, C. S. Cavalry:

GENERAL: Yesterday a lieutenant and seven men and a sergeant of a battery were taken prisoners by one of your regiments-if I am correctly informed, a Texas regiment-armed with Spencer carbines and commanded by a lieutenant-colonel. This officer and his men, after surrendering and being disarmed, were inhumanly and cowardly murdered. Nine of my cavalrymen were also found murdered yesterday, five in a barn-yard, three in an open field, and one in the road. Two had their throats cut from ear to ear. This makes in all eighteen Federal soldiers murdered yesterday by your people. Unless some satisfactory explanation be made to me before sundown, February 23, I will cause eighteen of your soldiers, now my prisoners to be shot at that hour, and if this cowardly act be repeated if my people when taken are not treated in all cases as prisoners of war should be, I will not only retaliate as I have already mentioned, but there shall not be a house left standing within reach of my scouting parties along my line of march, nor will I be responsible for the conduct of my soldiers, who will not only be allowed but encouraged to take a fearful revenge. I know of no other way to intimidate cowards.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. KILPATRICK,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS,
Chesterfield, S. C., February 22, 1865.

Major-General KILPATRICK, U. S. Army,

Commanding Cavalry, &c. ;

GENERAL; Your dispatch of this date is received, and I am much shocked at the statements which it contains. I am satisfied that you are mistaken in the matter. I have no Texas regiments armed with Spencer rifles, and none commanded by a lieutenant-colonel. The two Texas regiments which belong to my command are commanded by captains, and neither were in any engagement on yesterday. If any of my regiments were engaged with the enemy yesterday that fact has not yet been reported to me. I will have the matter promptly investigated and see that full justice is done. Should the report, however, by any means prove correct, I prefer that the retaliation may be inflicted upon the parties guilty of the misdeeds, and not upon innocent persons. I have no desire whatever to make counter-threats in response to those which you have thought proper to address to me, but should you cause eighteen of my men to be shot because you chanced to find that number of your men dead, I shall regard them as so many murders committed by you, and act accordingly. I trust, however, such a painful necessity will not be forced upon me.

Your threat "to burn every house as far as your scouts can extend" is of too brutal a character for me, and I think for my Government, to reply to.

Respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

J. WHEELER,

Major-General, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY COMMAND, ARMY OF INVASION,
In the Field, S. C., February 23, 1865

Major-General WHEELER,

Commanding Cavalry, C. S. Army:

GENERAL: Your dispatch dated Chesterfield, February 22, has just been received and I feel satisfied that you will so fully investigate the circumstances attending the murder of my men that the guilty parties will be discovered and punished. The regiment referred to as being commanded by a lieutenant-colonel may have been commanded by a captain, but certain it is that the force was mostly composed of Texans, many armed with the Spencer rifle, and my people were shot by order of the officer in command. One of my scouts a reliable man, was with this force all day, and testified to the fact that not only were these men referred to murdered, but that the general conversation of your men was that they would take no more prisoners. I hope you may be able to furnish some reason that may in a degree justify the course taken by your men.

You speak in your communication of my threat to burn houses, &c., as being "too brutal for you or your Government to entertain. " No matter how brutal it may seem, I have the power and will enforce it to the letter, and more, if this course is