liberty, Mr. Secretary, to make a direct appeal to your kindness, praying you will be so good as to take up the case of our father whose advanced age and feeble health might suffer from too long detention.

Accept, Mr. Secretary, the assurance ofour respect and of our deep gratitude.

AUGUSTA DE BEBIAN.

OCTAVIA DE BEBIAN.

LOUISA DE BEBIAN.

FORT HAMILTON, September 4, 1861.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington City, D. C.

SIR: Inclosed you will receive a letter from M. de Bebian, prisoner, inquiring about his letters.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

MARTIN BURKE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, U. S. Army, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

FORT LAFAYETTE, September 3, 1861.

Lieutenant-Colonel BURKE, U. S. Army,

Commanding Fort Hamilton.

SIR: As I am citizen of France and was arrested while on my way to that country I have addressed my communicatioins since I have been a prisoner in this place to the consul of my country at New York and to the French minister at Washington. I have not received replies to any of my letters, and this morning a letter from my daughter in New York who goes daily to the consular office informs me that the consul tells her he has not received any letter from me. I have been a prisoner here for fourteen days and have addressed two letters to Count Montholon, the French consul in New York, and my surprise consequently was very g reat to learn that they had not been received by him. In addressing these letters I have endeavored to conform to the written instructions which have been furnished us in regard to correspondence and you will confer a favor by letting me know why my letters to the consul have not reached their destination and what has been done with them; also if those addressed to the French legation of Washington, one of which contained my passport, have been forwarded. In addition to the letters referred to above which were in the French language I have written two in English which I do not ask about as there has not been time to receive replies to them.

I am, sir, your obedient servnat,

L. DE BEBIAN,

[Retired] Chef de Bataillon.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 7, 1861.

Colonel MARTIN BURKE, Fort Hamilton, N. Y.

COLONEL: Please inform M. de Bebian, at Fort Lafayette, that his letters for Prince Napoleon and M. Mercier, the French minister, have been communicated to the legation of Frence in this city. * * *

I am, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.