HDQRS. FIRST MILITARY DIST., MISSOURI STATE GUARD,
Camp New Madrid, Mo., November 12, 1861.

Colonel J. B. PLUMMER, U. S. Army,

Commanding, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

SIR: I send back the prisoner, W. F. Martin, and in his care E. E. Ryan, fourth sergeant, Company A, Seventeenth Illinois Volunteers; E. G. Orr, Captain Hawkins' dragoons; Jackson Wilson, Hawkins' Dragons, and Christopher Tippet, Company B, Roley's company, Bolinger County, which prisoners of war please place to my credit and relieve an equal number of the Missouri State Guard. I have Judge David Conrad, of Bollinger County, still a prisoners he having violated his parole a few days after he was arrested. The majority of the prisoners which General Pillow exchanged with the officer at Cairo were taken by my forces and I now have no more men left belonging to the U. S. service.

Yours, most respectfully,

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI,
Cairo, Ill., November 13, 1861.

Brigadier General JOHN A. McCLERNAND,

Commanding Post, Cairo, Ill:

In pursuance of an understanding between myself and General Polk arrived at last evening at the interview under his flag of truce that he should release the remaining of our prisoners taken in the engagement at Belmont on the 7th instant and I should release theirs, you will have all the prisoners taken by us in said engagement put on board the steamer Aleck Scott by 12 m. of to-day.

By order of Brigadier-General Grant:

J. A. RAWLISS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS CAMP FREMONT,
Cape Girardeau, Mo., November 15, 1861.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Headquarters District of Southeast Missouri, Cairo, Ill.

SIR: I have the honor of bringing to your notice Sergeant Ryan, of the Seventeenth Illinois Volunteers, in charge of Mr. William F. Martin and four other prisoners taken at the battle of Fredericktown on the 21st ultimo who have been unconditionally released by order of the commanding general in his communication of the 14th. Mr. Martin was promised his unconditional release personally by Colonel Plummer should he faithfully perform the journey to Jeff. Thompson's camp and return with an answer. The promise was also made by the colonel in his communication of the 4th to General Thompson. The commanding general will please furnish Martin and his friends safe conduct out of our lines. The absence of the commanding officer from the headquarters until morning and the boat leaving during seems to make it necessary to address the commanding servant,

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. P. EDGAR,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.