CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE.

HDQRS. FIRST MILITARY DISTRICT, MISSOURI STATE GUARD,
Camp Sikeston, August 13, 1861.

Brigadier General GIDEON J. PILLOW,

Commanding Army of Liberation, New Madrid, Mo.

DEAR SIR: * * * * I have a number of prisoners (some twenty) who should be held as hostages if for no other purpose. Shall I send them to New Madrid where they can be used or to Bloomfield to the jail?

Your, most respectfully,

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS,
Camp Hunter, Sunday, September 1, 1861.

Brigadier-General PILLOW, C. S. Army, New Madrid, Mo.

GENERAL: Your dispatch of yesterday* to General Thompson just received has been opened by me in his absence on an expedition to Charleston. I expect his return this afternoon when he will attend to your instructions.

I congratulate you on the success of your negotiations for an exchange of prisoners.

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

THOS. C. REYNOLDS,

Lieutenant-Governor of Missouri.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Columbus, Ky., October 12, 1861.

Brigadier General G. J. PILLOW,

Commanding, &c., Columbus, Ky.

GENERAL: My adjutant informs me he has never received the statement of your proceedings on the occasion of your exchange of prisoners with the enemy. # It is proper that those papers should be on file in this division office. I desire also to know the principles established at the basis of future exchanges. Will you have a copy of those proceedings made out and sent to the adjutant-general as soon as practicable?

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

[L. POLK,]

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Columbus, Ky., October 25, 1861.

General JOHNSTON, Headquarters Bowling Green, Ky.

GENERAL: * * * I send your letters from Thompson. ## He seems to have had some successes but be is reported since these letters left him to have had a reserve in which he lost 800 men as prisoners and

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* Not found.

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# Probably refers to the Pillow-Wallance agreements of September 3, See p. 509.

## Omitted.