as such have taken the oath of allegiance and have never taken any other. I have been for many years a resident and merchant of Carroll County, Miss., and have been in the habit of spending my summers at the North with my family. My daughter has been for sme time in New York under the medical charge of Doctor Agnew. After direct communication was cut off between the United States and the Confederate States, being very anxious to hear from my daughter I went to Louisville for the purpose of communicating with her. I did so by telegraph and uupon the receipt of the telegraph* herewith annexed I proceeded at once to New York where I arrived on the 13th of August and was soon after arrested. I assure you I am a Union man, always opposed to secession. I had no other object in coming North than to see my daughter. I have never carried on any political correspondence detrimental to the Government of the United States. I have never taken up arms against the Government and hold no commission and no position in the Army of the Confederate States. I have a large property at the South which would ceertainly be confiscated and converted to the use of the Confederate States did I again take the oath of alleegiance. Upon this ground and this alone I must declinee to take such oath, but will gladly give my parole on the same terms as given by Mr. Chapin, of Mississippi, who has been released. I have been confined nearly ten weeks.

Yours, respectfully,

CHAS. KOPPERL.

413 BROOME STREET, NEW YORK, November 25, 1861.

F. W. SEWARD, Assistant Secretary of State.

SIR: * * * Mr. Charles Kopperl, of Mississippi, no doubt came North to look after his daughter-pehaps with no evil political designs. But if I am not misinformed you have in you Department evidence that he was connected with a military corps at home, and is, whatever may be the pretenses urged in his behalf, a secessionist only moderated in tone by the latitude of his present location. * * *

I am, very respectfully, yours,

S. C. HAWLEY.

WEEDSPORT, CAYUGA COUNTY, N. Y.

November 25, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

DEAR SIR: Prompted by those feelongs which naturally arise when our friends are in trouble I take the liberty of addressing you in behalf of my brother-in-law, Charles Kopperl, of Carroll County, Miss., who is now confined at Fort Warren, Boston Harbor. In the early part of August last he was summoned from his home to the city of New York to visit and attend to the wants of a sick, blind and motherless daughter of fifteen. After having administered to her necessities his arrangements were made for his annual visit to the grave of his wife who was buried in this village some years since. but on the eve of his intended departure he was arrested and sent to Fort Lafayette, and as he assures me knew not the precise charges preferred against him except as he saw the newspaper reports which he declares to be false. The story of his being a major in the Confederate Army and engaged

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*Not found.

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