now held by the enemy in Texas, and I beg your indulgence in presenting my reasons for making this request. Every officer remaining loyal in the command of Colonel Reeve (including myself) surrendered in Texas, signed a parole of honor, by which they were the limits of the so-called Confederate Confederacy. Every soldier who remained loyal of that command signed a parole giving them the limits of the county of Bexar, State of Texas. After the signing of such paroles the camp of the men constituting the command was removed eight miles from the city of San Antonio and away from the vicinity of their officers, who were, by this act and by virtue of the liberty of the parole which the men had signed, separated from their men, and by a special order issued in the premises (a copy of which is inclosed) the men were placed exclusively under the charge of Confederate officers, while their own officer were removed from them and were not allowed to provide for or control them in any manner.

Under these circumstances I believed it to be most proper to present myself to the Department that I might be exchanged and again made myself. But in order to again permission to leave the Confederate States a much more restricted parole was exacted in Richmond. In this whole matter I have acted with the sole desire of doing my duty in the best manner, and it is source of extreme mortification to me that the Department does no consider that this has been accomplished; for I have never designedly turned my face from either duty or danger, and in this case have erred on the side of an active desire to perform what I considered to be demanded.

With the highest respect, I remain, general, your obedient servant,

H. M. LAZELLE,

Captain, Eighth Infantry, U. S. Army.

[Inclosure.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS TROOPS IN TEXAS,

Numbers 25.
San Antonio, June 8, 1861.

I. The U. S. soldiers now held as prisoners of war in this city will, be, on Monday next, moved from their present quarters into camp on or, near the Salado River, at such point as may be selected by First Lieutenant Edward Ingraham, C. S. Army, who, with Lieutenant Bradley and the cavalry company under his command, is hereby detailed as their guard. Lieutenant Ingraham will superintend the removal of these prisoners aerly encamped, provided for, and strictly guarded. The officers are relieved from the further control of the men, and the company commanders will furnish these headquarters with copies of the muster-rolls of their companies.

By order of Colonel Earl Van Dorn:

T. A. WASHINGTON,

Captain, Assistant Adjutant-General, C. S. Army.

HDQRS. OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, January 7, 1861.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Commanding Department of the Missouri, St. Louis, Mo.

SIR: It is the desire of the Government that five of our officers and some 240 rank an file of the Eighth Infantry, detained as prisoners in Texas, should be exchanged for any prisoners taken in arms by us