werken's, two miles beyond the Chain Bridge on the Virginia side; that he was arrested on the 3rd of July by Sergeant Preston; taken as he supposed to the camp of General Smith; kept until the 13th of July when he was brought to where the now is; that he was told he was arrested for giving information to the rebels; that he never did anything of the kind; that he is entirely blind in one eye and is unable to see out of the other at night; that he is a poor man and has a wife and two little children living in a log house and depending upon him for a support; that he has used everu exertion in his power to obtain an examination but has been unable to do so; that he is willing to take the oath of allegiance, and that as he is for the Union and has been in jail over three months, he thinks his case in one of great hardship, in which sentiment I heartily concur.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. J. ALLEN.

[Inclosure Numbers 3.]

HDQRS. CITY GUARD, PROVOST-MARSHAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, D. C., October 15, 1861.

Brigadier General A. PORTER, Provost-Marshal.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to report in the case of Alfred Nettleton confined in the city jail here since the 11th of September ultimo on a charge of being in correspondence with the rebels that he states to one of my operatives detailed to examine him in prison that he is thirty-nine years of age; that he was born in Middle Haddam, Conn. ; that he has two children staying with his father in Hartford County; that he was a messenger in the Navy Department, Bureau of Construction, during the last Administration; that the resigned April 20 fearing he would be removed and went home to his friends where he remained until the fore part of September when he returned here and was arrested on the 11th of the month; that complaint was made by one John Hammond, a huckster in the Northern Liberty Market; that he was always a strong Democrat while Hammond claimed to be for Lincoln; that he never communicated any information to the rebels and that nothing could be further from his intentions; that he claims to be a Union man and is willing to take the oath of allegiance.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. J. ALLEN.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 16, 1861.

Brigadier General ANDREW PORTER, Provost-Marshal, Washington.

SIR: The Thomas Hitchcock, a prisoner confined in your custody, be released* on taking the oath of allegiance to the Government of the United States stipulating that he will neither enter any of the States in insurrection against the authority of the United States Government nor hold any correspondence whatever with persons residing in those States without permission from the Secretary of State; and also that he will not do anything hostile to the United States during the present insurrection. You will please make the stipulations of the oath.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

F. W. SEWARD,

Assistant Secretary.

[NOTE. -On the same day the same order was issued in the cases of John W. Burson and Alfred Nettleton.]

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* But see Allen to Porter in the two following reports.

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