nized by belligerents I was yet willing to adopt it and it was that principle on which I proposed to act in surrending the prisoners turned over to you.

My impression was and is that taking into the acount the rank of those turned over to you I have made a fair exchange. If on examination it should appear otherwise I am willing to add to the list of those surrendered.

I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant,

L POLK,

Major-General, Commanging.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI,
Cairo, Ill., November 16, 1861.

General J. THOMPSON,

Commanding (C. S.) Missouri Forces, New Madrid, Mo.:

I have been requested to intercede in behalf of Judge David R. Conrad who I understand is now a prisoners in your camp. Judge Conad as I understand is in no way connected with the belligerents on either side, but from his age and respectability if I can lend a helping hand for this release I will be most happy to do so. I am not aware of the charges under which the judge rests and cannot say therefore what success my appeal in his behalf is likely to meet with. My proposition, however, is to release any four of your prisoners you may designate of those now in my possession on the return of Judge Conrad to this place.

U. S. GRANT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. FIRST MILITARY DIST., MISSOURI STATE GUARD,
New Madrid, November [19, 1861.]

Brigadier General U. S. GRANT, U. S. Army, Cairo, Ill.

SIR: Your communication of the 16th instant in relation to Judge Conrad is at hand. Judge Conrad has been released for several days from confinement and has been staying with his personal friends, officers in my army, awaiting a safe escort to his home.

Judge Conrad was arrested by some of my scouts as a member of the Home Guards and would have been released by me in a few days or probably at once had I not just been starting on my expedition to the Iron Mountain Railroad. On my return from that expedition I found that Smith and Conrad had been allowed the limits of the town of Bloomfield on parole and had both violated their parole and escaped. Conrad was recaptured and I felt disposed to punish him severely but he has so many friends among my men that I deferred the matter for investigation and it now appears that he did not know it was wrong to try escape in the manner he did.

In a communication from Captain George P. Edgar, assistant adjutant general at Cape Girardeau, in reference to Judge Conrad he states that Colonel Killian has already released several men on parole condition upon the release of Conrad. I mention this so that I may not get more in this exchange than your consider him worth. Not knowing personally with of my men have families you can let them determine