These men [Samuel J. Sharp and son] were arrested at Williamsport when crossing the lines of the U. S. Army from the South and sent to General Dix at Baltimore October 4, 1861. They were charged with having visited the insurrectionary States on commercial business in violation of the President's proclamation. They claimed to be British subjects and were released about October 7, 1861, by order of the Secretary of State.

The first information received at the Department of State relative to this person [David R. Mister] was contained in a letter from Honorable J. W. Crisfield, October 4, 1861, with inclosures of petition and letter of citizion of Accomack County, Va., asking the release of Mister. The petition states that Mister was arrested in Chesconnesseex Creek, Va., on board of his vessel, the Indiana, and was charged with having been engaged in conveying powder, balls, &c., contraband articles, to the rebels in Virginia, and was taken to and confined at Fortress Monroe. A letter also inclosed with the petition by Honorable J. W. Crisfield from E. R. Snead, of Onancock, Va., stated that Mister was confined at the Rip Raps. October 9, 1861, and order was issued from the Department of State directing Major - General Wool to release Mister on his taking the oath of allegiance and stipulating not to enter the insurrectionary States or do any act hostile to the United States Government. Major - General Wool replied by letter to the Secretary of State dated October 12, 1861, that this person was not had not been at Fort Monroe or the Rip Raps. No information has been received at the Department of State relative to the place of confinement of said Mister otther than above mentioned.

The only information received at the Department of State in regard to this person [J. A. Koenig] is contained in a letter to the Secretary of State dated October 4, 1861, from U. S. Deputy Marshal A. G. Stevens, of Buffalo, N. Y., in which Koeing is charged with purchasing arms for the use of the rebels. An order was issued from the Department of State October 7, 1861, directing Deputy Marshal Stevens to file in the Department of State showing that the arrest was made.

Dr. Alexander C. Robinson, of Baltimore, was one of the highly respectable gentlemen of that city who gave consideration and power to the rebel cause by his open sympathy and support. During the period of agitation between the arrest of a portion of the Maryland legislature and the election following a military order was issued as a meassure of precaution for the arrest of Doctor Robinson, but he was adviced of it and eluded arrest, fleeing as was alleged to Vigrinia. No papers in the Department of State show at what time the order for Doctor Robinson's arrest was issued nor when if ever our on what conditions it was revoked. The correspondence in relation to him begins on the 4th and closes on the 26th of October, 1861. It is almost wholly between parties outside of the Department of State, and it does not appear that any order was made in this Department in relation to the case. There is on file an engagement on his word of honor to submit to the laws of the United State and of the State of Maryland and not in any way to assist those in arms against the authority of the United States, purporting to be signed by the said Robinson.

20 R R - SERIES II, VOL II