sippi, when peace is restored to her, but not to the Confederate Government or its officers. You now hold for retaliation four United States soldiers, whose names you say were ascertained by lot. We hold here thirty-od wounded Confederate soldiers, left by your companions on surgeon. I expect a boat-load of other prisoners in a day or so from above, en route for Vicksburg, to be exchanged according to the solemn cartel made between the two contracting parties. Under the terms of that cartel, we shall expect at Vicksburg the four men you have named, and should they not be at Vicksburg, the officer in charge of your prisoners will have his orders. Our armies now occupy many Southern States; even Northern Mississippi is in our possession. Your guerrillas and partisan rangers have done deeds that I know you do not sanction. Do not make this war more vindictive and bloody than it has been, and will be, in spite of the most moderate counsels. If you think a moment, you will admit that retaliation is not the remedy for such acts as the killing of White; but the same end will be attained by regulating your guerrillas. This I know you are doing, and for it you have the thanks of your Southern Rights people, who were plundered and abused by them. General Grant commands this department, and you had better await his answer before proceeding to extremities. All I can now do is to see that the terms for the exchange of prisoners of war be faithfully executed, by your exchanging the four men you have in custody before we will send to Vicksburg any more.

I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF MEMPHIS,
Memphis, November 23, 1862.

The Officer Commanding Guard on Board Steamer Metropolitan:

SIR: I am officially advised by Lieutenant General J. C. Pemberton, commanding Confederate forces at Jackson, Tenn., that he holds four of our prisoners of war, viz, James E. Gaddy, Company E, Sixth Illinois Cavalry; Bernard Collins, Company E, Thirty-ninth Ohio Infantry; A. W. Shipman, Company D, Forty-third Ohio Infantry, and Michael Hart, Company C, Seventh Iowa Infantry, on whom he proposes, by order of the Confederate Government, to make retaliation for the killing of a citizen named White, of De Soto County, Mississippi, in September last. I have answered him at length by a flag of truce, and now inform you that it is not a case for retaliation, and have the honor to request that, on arrival at Vicksburg, you make specific demand for these prisoners, and, if they be not forthcoming, that you withhold from exchange four of like rank privates, to be ascertained by lot, and that you bring them to Memphis to await the action of our Government. I regard this as a fair breach of the cartel. White was not a Confederate soldier, or even guerrilla, and if the Confederate authorities want to offset the killing of White, you can quote plenty of private murders committed by their adherents.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

[P. S.]-Don't make known what you propose until you know whether these four men are ready to be exchanged, and then await an answer by telegraph from General Pemberton.