FORT WARREN, BOSTON HARBOR,

January 25, 1862.

General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General, U. S. Army,

SIR: I have just received the following answer by letter from General Hunger to the message I sent him relative to exchanging the North Carolina prisoners of war for the U. S. troops in Texas:

My Government is willing and anxious to exchange prisoners on fair terms, and as the authorities at Washington have permitted it in certain cases I beg your assistance in making it general, and thus aid the cause of humanity and civilization.

In another part of his letter he says:

With your assistance, colonel, I hope we can do much to relieve needless suffering to our fellow-countryman.

Being therefore certain of a reciprocal exchange of the prisoners of war now here I shall immediately require transportation for them by sea to Fort Monroe, to be sent to Norfolk for exchange, viz, 4 captains, 2 first lieutenants, 8 second lieutenants, 4 third lieutenants, and about 370 rank and rifle.

The four colored men are very desirous of returning to their families in North Carolina. I shall therefore send them unless I receive further instructions relative to them. Three of them are certainly free and have families South. The third man is believed to be a slave, yet he is very anxious to go home; he has been to me often begging me to send him home on the first opportunity.

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

J. DIMICK,

Colonel First Artillery, Commanding Post.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA,
Fort Monroe, Va., January 27, 1862.

Brigadier General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

GENERAL: Major-General Huger has been directed to offer Colonel William Hoffman for Captain Barron, C. S. Navy.

* * * *

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN E. WOOL,

Major-General.

FORT WARREN, BOSTON HARBOR,

January 27, 1862.

General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington.

SIR: I return Captain Barron's application for a parole*, with the suggestion that he should be paroled to be exchanged for his equivalent in regular soldiers. Supposing the force in Texas to be exchanged to be 250 men, the command to be composed of six companies, their equivalent in privates would be 350. Commodore Barron's equivalent in privates would be about 480, allowing 30 privates for a captain, and

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* Omitted.

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