HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA,
Baltimore, Md., September 30, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

SIR: Several weeks ago a party of twenty-four persons were captured near North Point, at the mouth of the lower harbor, on their way to a sloop which was to take them to the lower part of Maryland. It was ascertained to our satisfaction that some of them intended to join the Confederate Army, and we supposed that was the destination of all, but we were satisfied afterward that many of them were going to the lower counties in this State to get work. About the time they were captured orders were received from Lieutenant-General Scott to send our prisoners to New York, and twenty-two were accordingly sent there. Two have been released by your order, one of them (Dennis Kelly) having thoroughly investigated by the police, and it has resulted in the conviction that twelve of them ought to be discharged on taking the oath of allegiance. They are all that first purpose was to find employment in the lower part of this State; and even if there was a contingent design in case of failure of going to Virginia it is believed that they have been sufficient punished.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General, Commanding.

NEW YORK, September 30, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

MY DEAR GOVERNOR: I have received your official letter of the 28th instant in which you say that you have directed Colonel Loomis, the officer in command at Fort Columbus, to permit me to make a single visit in the presence of an officer to the prisoner George Armistead Appleton, and that fearing the precedent will lead to much annoyance if not abuse you have reluctantly granted the permission. I certainly will do nothing to annoy you, and I therefore hasten to remove your offers by saying that I shall not avail myself of the permission which you have so kindly granted. At the same time I ought to say that I should not have asked the permission from Mr. Cameron if I had not been told by Mr. Weed that he had been allowed to visit the prisoners in Fort Lafayette. I supposed that that precedent warranted my application.

Thanking you for your kindness and apologizing for the trouble I have given you, I am, as ever, very faithfully, yours,

SALM. BLATCHFORD.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, September 30, 1861.

Lieutenant Colonel M. BURKE, Commanding Fort Hamilton, N. Y.

SIR: The General-in-Chief directs me to say that he has been informed obstacles have been thrown in the way of Mrs. Gelston's sending provisions, &c., to the prisoners in Fort Lafayette. The general wishes you to permit proper articles to be sent in such mode as you may indicate, and to see that all respect is shown to the benevolent lady in question.