States may be rlased at once, and in pursuance of your suggestion the honorable district attorney for the district in question will be requested to attend the trial of the others.

Very respectfully,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Acting Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, September 28, 1861.

Honorable FLEMING B. MILLER,

District of Attorney, Fincastle, Botetourt County, Va.

SIR: I am informed by the Honorable J. R. Tucker, attorney-general of Virginia, that certain prisoners held on charges of diloyalty in the jail of Roanoke County under and by Brigadier-General Wise have appolied for discharge on writs of habeas corpus returnable to the 4th of Otober next. I hae replied that such of these prisoners as would take the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States might be rlased atonce. I have now the honor to request you, as suggested by Mr. Tucker, to attend the trial of the others on behalf of the Confederate Government.

Respectfully,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Acting Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, September 28, 1861.

ALFRED ELY, Esq.,* Prisoners' Quarters, Richmond, Va.

SIR: In reply to your letter of the 26th instant I am directed by the Secretary of War to say that there is no charge against you and therefore no reason why your request for a hearing should be granted. You are simply held as a prisoner of war.

Respectfully,

A. T. BLEDSOE,

Chief of Bureau of War.

CULPEPER COURT-HOUSE, VA., September 28, 1861.

R. S. HAMILTON, Esq.

DEAR SIR: I address you, both to thank you for your kindg efforts in my behalf and to comply with your advice. inclose you one of my letters+ to the Citizen, Frederick, Md., also three+ sothe Morning News, Savannah, Ga., and one+ addressed in manuscript to the governor of Massachusetts, a copy of which was sent byrequest to the Savannah News for publication. They are among my most carelessly written printed communications, of which I have but very few with me. I would refer you to my speech at the Union meeting in Lowell on the 29th of December, 1859, and published in the Lowell Advertiser, from which it was copied into the Argus (Norfolk, Va.)ofMay 19, 1860. It is probable that it is also in the weekly edition of that paper, and possibly may be found mong some of your friends. I would refer you to the following gentlemen of the South with some of whom I have the honor of an acquiantance obht personal and by correspondence, with others only by correspondence: Messrs. Richardson, editors News,

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*Ely was a Member of the U. S. Congress, captured at Bull Run.

+Not found.

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