OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL,

Saint Louis, Mo., October 28, 1861.

Brigadier General W. T. SHERMAN,

Commanding Department of the Cumberland.

GENERAL: I send herewith a statement made by a prisoner who was arrested by my orders for going South contrary to an order issued from this department on the 30th of August. My object in sending it is to bring to your notice the route - although I presume you have taken measures to close it - pursued by the prisoner. I understand from other sources that the aforesaid route has been largely traveled by persons desiring to evade the order in reference to non-intercourse with the South.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours,

JOHN McNEIL,

Colonel Nineteenth Missouri Volunteers, Provost-Marshal.

[Inclosure.]

SAINT LOUIS, October 23, 1861.

Colonel JOHN McNEIL.

SIR: I was informed this morning by Mr. Caffrey that you did not consider my letter of yesterday's date as satisfactory, it not giving the route by which I went to New Orleans. I now state that I went by railroad to Evansville, Ind; by river to Henderson Ky. ; from there by stage to the Tennessee State line, where I took the railroad to Brookhaven, Miss. ; from there by buggy to Natchez, Miss., and thence by river to new Orleans. Returning I came by railroad to Memphis, where I stopped one day and a half to collect some debts; went from there to Natchez, where I arrived on Saturday noon; collected some debts and returned from there on Sunday to State line by railroad, by stage to Henderson, Ky. ; from there by Government steamer Storm to evansville and by railroad home.

I do not consider that I have committed any offense by making the trip to the South as I went solely on our commercial business to collect moneys we required in our business and which there was danger of being confiscated. I will further state that I remained at the several places which I visited only time enough to transact my business, and left by first conveyance I could get. The following-named gentlemen will I feel confident bear me out in my assurance of loyalty to the Government under which we live; Albert Pearce esq., George Pegram, esq., William J. Hazard, esq., Messrs. S. M. Edgell & Co., Messrs. William Matthews & Co., and Messrs. John J. Roe & Co.

Very respectfully,

M. YOLAN.

[Indorsement.]

Respectfully referred to Major Corwine, judge-advocate.

This man left after the proclamation of martial law, passing our lines each way without permission and in defiance of orders, and now pleads ignorance.

JOHN McNEIL,

Assistant Provost-Marshal.