the business. I inclose you a New Orleans paper of the 20th instant. Those you sent me I regret to say never came to hand. I would be obliged if you can send your reply by to-morrow evening.

Very truly, your obedient servant,

LEW. WALLACE,

Major-General of Volunteers, U. S. Army.

[Sub-inclosure Numbers 4.]

HEADQUARTERS WEST SUB-DISTRICT OF TEXAS,
Brownsville, March 26, 1865.

Major General LEW. WALLACE,

Commanding Middle Dept., Eighth Army Corps, U. S. Army:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your communication of the 24th instant (just at hand), and in reply have to state that I have not as yet received an answer from Brigadier-General Walker has ere this received official intelligence of your intended visit to Glaveston, and I presume he communicated fact to commanding officer of Galveston Island. I regret that the papers were not received, and this time inclose in envelope. We are at all times, general, ready to soften the asperities of the war by an interchange of the courtesies which should exist between all parties prosecuting civilized warfare.

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN S FORD,

Colonel, Commanding.

[Sub-inclosure Numbers 5.]

STEAMER CLINTON,

Off Galveston, Tex., March 30, 1865.

Brigadier General J. M. HAWES,

Commanding Defenses of Galveston, Tex.:

GENERAL: I will be especially obliged if you will do me the favor to forward the inclosed dispatch to Major-General Walker, commanding District of Texas, as early as possible.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LEW. WALLACE,

Major General, Commanding Middle Dept. and 8th Army Corps, U. S. Army.

[Inclosure.]

STEAMER CLINTON,

Off Galveston, Tex., March 30, 1865.

Major-General WALKER,

Commanding District of Texas:

GENERAL: By note, as late as the 26th instant, Colonel John S. Ford, of your army, and at present in command at Brownsville, informs me that you have received official intelligence of my intended visit to Galveston. If so, the purpose of my coming is already understood. To avoid the possibility of mistake, however, I will venture to say, in the way of explanation, that, as the instance of Brigadier-General Slaughter and colonel Ford, I had the pleasure, during a conference at Point Isabel, of submitting certain propositions, with a hope that they might be received by your authorities west of the Mississippi as a basis upon which peace might be realized. The officers named undertook, at the same time, to forward the propositions to General E. Kirby Smith, through your headquarters. It was also then and there agreed that I should come to Gal-