DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington January 6, 1862.

Major General JOHN A. DIX, Baltimore, Md.

GENERAL: Application has been made for the release of Charles Wilson, who is confined in Fort McHenry as a witness against Thomas Zarvona. If there is no objection within your knowledge you will please release Wilson on his testimony against the prisoner Thomas Zarvona whenever required to do so.

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

F. W. SEWARD,

Acting Secretary of State.

FORT LAFAYETTE, January 9, 1862.

Honorable SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES.

SIR: I addressed to you a letter on the 22nd day of December, 1861.

A response is requested.

Respectfully, the colonel,

ZARVONA.

HEADQUARTERS, Baltimore, January 11, 1862.

Honorable F. W. SEWARD, Acting Secretary of State.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 6th instant relating to the release of Charles Wilson, confined at Fort McHenry as a witness in the case of Zarvona, and have referred it to Colonel Morris, commanding at Fort McHenry, who has made to me the following report:

Wilson is an important in the case of Zarvona, and states that he is unable to give security for his appearance. He did not apply himself for his release and supposes that his wife made the application. He is willing to remain here provided some means of support are furnished his family which is in destitute circumastances.

Permit me in this connection to call your attention to my letter of the 9th of December last in which I recommended the payment to all these witnesses of the per diem allowance to which they are entitled that their wives and children might not servant,
JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

FORT LAFAYETTE, February 3, 1862.

Honorable JAMES A. PEARCE, Washington, D. C.

DEAR SIR: I notice in the daily papers that application has been made to authorities of the South for the exchange of Colonel Corcoran, of the Federal Army; also notice his friends are exceedingly anxious to obtain the presence of Colonel Corcoran among them once more. Now in my opinion this object could be soon effected if Colonel Zarvona, of the Confederate Army, at present in confinement at Fort Lafayette, were offered in exchange for Colonel Corcoran, of the Federal Army. Colonel Zarvona has ben a prisoner since July last and has been subject to illness during the whole of that time. I would have you to understand that this proposition comes from myself and not from Colonel Zarvona. I respectfully ask you to consider the above,