Immediately upon surrendering myself my house from cellar to roof was taken possession of by armed men and I was forced to deliver up all my papers and keys then upon my person. Amongst the papers then given up was a letter containing money and which I have never heard as having reached its destination. The sanctity of my bedchamber was invaded by the armed servants who were doing the bidding of the Secretary of State. My private papers were taken possession of; doors and drawers of my furniture were broken open; every indignity heaped upon my home and its decencies. During the period of the outrageous proceedings thus enacted in my house my brother and my relatives were denied admission whilst I was on my way to Fort McHenry, and my wife [left] alone in the house without even being allowed the company of one of her servants.

After my arrival at Fort McHenry a prisoner and after midnight I was ushered into a room without even a chair to sit upon, the luxury of a bed being entirely out of the question. From Fort McHenry I was taken to Fortress Monroe where fresh indignities inexcusable even if meted out to a known convict were experienced by me. Denied the right of writing to my friends unless couched in such terms as suited the off I was still without being made acquainted with the charges upon which I had been kidnapped. After remaining at this post and being treated with no other consideration than if I had been a mere dog save being srrounded with the paraphernalia of soldiers with guns I was still without warrant or color of law sent by sea to Fort Lafayette and put in charge of other jailers, confined in apartments which are already described and truthfully by a remonstrance forwarded on 8th of October, 1861, and addressed to the President of the United States. Continually making ineffectual attempts to know for what cause I had been forced from my home and was suffering the indignities of my jailers orders came from where I know not to place me upon a transport, the steamer State of Maine, utterly unseaworthy to carry the living freight which was forced into her hold and upon her deckts. I was then transferred and still without any known authority to Fort Warren, where I now am and still without any information as to the grounds upon which I was originally arrested. During my imprisonment I have supplied from my own means bed, bedding, foord and all the necessaries of life, and I now enjoy any comfort whatever because you have not condescended to act the jailer toward me.

You ask me to accept a parole; to accept an amnesty from the President of the United States. For what? Is it to force me without color of law to acknowledge a partial criminality when no charges have been preferred against me-when merely a telegraphic dispatch has arrested me and deprived me of my liberty? The idea is one which I cannot for a moment entertain. I challenge a trial. I crace to suffer for crimes if I have been guilty of any. I ask for the constitutional rights which you and the Secretary of War have sworn to defend. Give me the means by which I may enjoy the right of the humblest citizen suspected of the highest crime known to the law and I will be satisfied.

It is proper for me to state here that at the time of my arrest I was then a member of the Legislature of Maryland ready to perform my duties under the oath prescribed by the State and faithfully.

Very respectfully,

HENRY M. WARFIELD.