you in favor of the release of the U. S. prisoners Joseph Griffith, F. M. Crow, Henry Thurber and A. McDowell, citizens of our neighborhood, some of us residing within a mile or two of them. We would state that they are all young men who took the step with which they are charged in haste, not properly weighing the character of the offenses they were about committing, and from what some of us know of our personal knowledge and others of us from what we have heard from reliable sources we believe they are heartily sorry for what they have done and would willingly take the necessary oath and if required give security or their loyalty and good behavior, and we believe the exercise of clemency toward these misguided young men would do no harm to the cause of the United States but on the contrary would have a good effect in the neighborhood in which the said prisoners reside. We would be very far from intending in this step to do anything which would seem unbecoming or officious on our part, but make this appeal believing that the grant of our petition would prove of great service to these misguided young men and of service to our country.

Very respectfully,

EDW. D. HOBBS.

C. THEODORE VERNEIGERHOLZ.

EDWIN BRYANT.

[AND FIFTEEN OTHERS.]

FORT HAMILTON, New York Harbor, October 5, 1861.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. of the Army, Washington City, D. C.

SIR: I have received the following-named persons as prisoners from Lieutenant Ely, from General Anderson's command. They are now confined in Fort Lafayette: W. E. Wright, W. E. Kearny, J. T. McFeal, J. W. Griffith, Anderson McDowell, William Grubbs, J. W. Robards, F. M. Crow, H. G. Thurber, S. H. Wooldridge, G. P. Pressby, E. Payne, L. S. Holsclaw, Joseph Back.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

MARTIN BURKE,

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

FORT HAMILTON, N. Y., October 7, 1861.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Asst. Adjt. General, Headquarters of the Army, Washington.

SIR: Inclosed you will please find package of papers* and bank notes handed to me by Lieutenant Ely, who came in charge of prisoners sent here by order of General Robert Anderson, commanding Department of Kentucky. * * *

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

MARTIN BURKE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 9, 1861.

Brigadier General ROBERT ANDERSON, Louisville, Ky.

GENERAL: Your letter of the 3rd instant inclosing a petition for the release of the prisoners Joseph Griffith, F. M. Crow, Henry Thurber

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*Not found.

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