interest to stand well with both sides. And I hope, therefore, that the practice will only be allowed on condition of such residents rendering military service. No man should be neutral in this great emergency.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. DAHLGREN,

Rear-Admiral, Commanding South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA, Charleston, S. C., July 13, 1864.

Major General J. G. FOSTER,
Commanding U. S. Forces, Hilton Head, S. C.:

GENERAL: I have received your letter of the 1st instant. Mine of the 13th and 22nd ultimo indicate, with all necessary precision, the location of the U. S. officers who are prisoners of war in this city. I cannot well be more minute without pointing out the very houses in which they are confined, and for reasons very easily understood I am sure that this will not be expected. If the statements in my letter of the 22nd ultimo are insufficient, the letter of the 5 general officers, dated the 1st instant, in which they assure you that they "are as pleasantly and comfortably situated as is possible for prisoners of war, receiving from the Confederate authorities every privilege that we (they) could desire or expect, nor are we (they) unnecessarily exposed to fire," gives you all the information in regard to their treatment that you can reasonably desire.

In conclusion, let me add that I presume from a copy of your confidential order of the 29th ultimo,* that you were commanding in person the troops operating against the city, and as you had particularly requested me to communicate with you only by way of port Royal Ferry, I felt bound to delay my reply until I was assured it would promptly reach you by the route you were pleased to indicate.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA, Charleston, S. C., July 13, 1864.

Major General J. G. FOSTER,
Commanding U. S. Forces, Hilton Head, S. C.:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 4th, in reply to mine of the 1st, has been received. I am pleased to know that you reciprocate my desire for an exchange of prisoners, but regret that you should require as a condition precedent to any negotiation for this end that I should remove from their present location the U. s. prisoners of war now in this city. Such a course on my part would be an implied admission that those officers are unduly exposed and treated with unnecessary rigor, which they have themselves assured you in their letter of the 1st instant is not the case. I regard the exchange of prisoners as demanded alike by the rules of civilized warfare and the

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*See Part I, p. 126.

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