persons and bodies of men so as aforesaid levying war and exciting insurrection and rebellion against the United Stats of America contrary to the duty of the allegiance and fidelity of the said Richard Thomas, against the form of the statute in such case made and provided and against the peace, government and dignity of the United States of America.

WILLIAM MEADE ADDISON.

U. S. Attorney for the Maryland District.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 25, 1862.

Major General JOHN A. DIX, Baltimore.

GENERAL: Unless in your judgment the testimony of James Ingram is absolutely necessary to the proper administration of justice in the case of Colonel Thomas alias Zarvona you may release him from confinement.

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 28, 1862.

Lieutenant Colonel MARTIN BURKE, Fort Lafayette.

COLONEL: Herewith I transmit for your information a copy of a note from Colonel E. D. Townsend, assistant adjutant-general, relative to the correspondence of Colonel Thomas alias the French lady, who is now confined at Fort Lafayette, New York Harbor. It is deemed advisable under all the circumstances connected with his arrest and the devolopments which are made in this note to request that he be placed in close confinement and that a strict surveillance be kept over his correspondence.

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure.]

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, February 27, 1862.

[Adjt. General L. THOMAS.]

DEAR SIR: I have been informed that Thomas, the French lady imprisoned at Fort Lafayette, has a ciher by which his correspondence with a Mrs. Norris and others in Baltimore passes without suspicion. For instance his quotation of a line of poetry will in some way convey a request for acids, files or anything he may desire and which will be conveyed to him under the case of a breast-pin or something apparently harmless. He is a desperate mane and very restless under his confinement, and desings escaping if he can. My informant was lately released from Fort Lafatette, where he seems to have been confined under a misapprehension and where he says he became acquainted with the above fact.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.