I understood that I was to bnt to Virginia to prevent arrest. Was in Virginia about one week. Was never in the Confederate camps or fortifications of any kind. Never gave them information of any kind. Came home to see my family. Intended to have returned in a short time only to prevent an arrest. I live in Maryland, own property in Maryland and expect to abide the laws of the same. Was arrested 24th day of September, 1861. Suffered many privations since, especially the eleven days I was in camp. Suffered much on account of the distressed condition of my family, knowing they were entirely dependent upon me. I have not heard of nor do I know of any family in Maryland whose situation has not been more comfortable than that of mine under the same circumstances. I beg of you in the name of humanity to give my case your earliest attention and grant me a speedy release.

You will find attached a letter* written by my sister which I wish you to read and consider the same. I expect to take the oath of allegiance and expect to observe the same to the strict letter of the law, which is all the best Union man of the State can do.

Very respectfully, yours,

THOS. A. JONES.

Apart from what I have suffered mentally I have suffered pecuniarily to a great extent. Say nothing about what I have lost by being from home, I have lost the following, which the Government has the use of: Two fine boats, one valuable horse, all of my oats, gun, revolver and other things I do not now remember, but I am in hopes Uncle Sam will not let me lose them. What little property I have I have worked for, every cent of. It would seem hard to lose it, besides I owe a great deal of money, and it requires all of my means and power to support my large family at the best of times.

T. A. J.

OLD CAPITOL PRISON,

Washington, D. C., February 26, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

SIR: I am induced by the urgent necessity of attention to my family's interests to request if admissible a release on parole for a week or ten days, for the fae of which I am willing to give any pledge required. I have been a prisoner for the last five months without any knowledge whatever of the charges the Government may have against me, and every effort that I have made to obtain a hearing has been unsuccessful. I have a wife and three children residing in Baltimore entirely dependent on my exertions for their support, and the anxious desire to make some provisions for their maintenance is my only reason for asking the above-named indulgence. During the whole of last winter I resided in Philadelphia and until May, when business purely of a private character took me to Richmond.

I returned in September for the purpose of seeing my family and on my way from the banks of the Potomac I by mere chance stopped at the house of Mr. Thomas Jones, in Charles County, for whose arrest a warrant had been issued, that fact being unknown to me. The troops came while I was there and took me prisoner also thought I solemnly protest that I was in no manner implicated in Mr. Jones' affairs, and from first to last have had no participation whatever in the political troubles agitating the country.

---------------

*Omitted.

---------------