in writing and if it relates to provisions or other reasonable supplies it will be furnished in the presence of the provost-marshal and without a word being said to the prisoners.

The provost-marshal will have no further conversation with the prisoners than may be required in regard to their supplies and combort, and will in the course of each twenty-four hours ascertain from time to time by personal inspection that all the prisoners are in custody. The prisoners will be allowed to communicate with their friends or others in writing, but all such communications must be submitted before being sent to the commanding general and the prisoners must be informed of this restriction. Your company will be relieved from any other detail than the guard above mentioned for the time being.

The knives, forks and other articles for the table of the prisoners must be counted before they are sent in by one of the officers of the provost guard who shall see that the same number is returned after each meal.

By command of Major-General Wool:

LE GRAND B. CANNON,

Aide-de-Camp.

IMPORTANT AND CONFIDENTIAL.] HEADQUARTERS,

Camp near Darnestown, September 16, 1861.

Lieutenant-Colonel RUGER,

Commanding Third Wisconsin Regiment, on special service at Frederick.

SIR: The Legislature of Maryland is appointed to meet in special session to-morrow, Tuesday, September 16. It is not impossible that the members or a portion of them may be deterred from meeting there on account of certain arrests recently made in Baltimore. It is also quite possible that on the first day of meeting the attendance may be small. Of the facts as to this matter I shall see that you are well informed as they transpire. It becomes necessary that any meeting of this Legislature at any place or time shall be prevented.

You will hold yourself and your command in readiness to arrest the members of both houses. A list* of such as you are to detain will be inclosed to you herewith, among whom are to be specially included the presiding officers of the two houses, secretaries, clerks and all subordinate officials. Let the arrest be certain and allow no change of failure. The arrests should be made while they are in session I think.

You will upon the receipt of this quietly examine the premises. I am informed that escape will be impossible if the entrance to the building be held by you; of that you will judge upon examination. If no session is to be held you will arrest such members as can be found in Frederick. The process of arrest should be to enter both houses at the same time announcing that they were arrested by orders of the Goverment. Command them to remain as they are subject to your orders.

Any resistance will be forcibly suppressed whatever the consequences. Upon these arrests being effected the members that are to be detained will be placed on board a special train for Annapolis where a steamer will await them.

Everything in the execution of these orders is confided to your secrecy, discretion and promptness.

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General.

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* Not found, but see Copeland to Banks, p. 682.

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