[Inclosure.]

FREDERICK CITY, MD., December 19, 1861.

Hon. CHARLES J. FAULKNER.

DEAR SIR: I have just received the painful intelligence that my father, Samuel A. Pancoast, of Hampshire County, Va., has been taken prisoner and carried to Richmond. I was not aware of it in time to see you upon you journey south or I should have done so. His arrest was caused by Sherrard from personal enmity alone. Father had been to Baltimore and Washington to endeavor to get salt over the river to the suffering families of Hampshire and Morgan Counties, in Virginia, and also to some other counties if he could get permission. General Carson gave him full permission to try and and safe-conduct. Upon his return, however, General Jackson was in command, and Sherrard charged my father with bringing with him carrier pigeons. He did have with him some pigeons, it is true, but were tumblers and ruffle necks to mate some he had at home. I was with him when they were bought, and know all the circumstances of the case.

Father has been very careful to do nothing at all to conflict with the laws where he was residing, and was extremely careful when in Washington to say or do nothing that might by any possibility by a disadvantage to him at home. His case was not examined into at Winchester when he was first arrested, nor has it been since he has been a prisoner at Richmond. My mother and sisters are in Hampshire County alone, unprotected and unprovided for, and it is now impossible for me to reach them in any way. If you will be kind enough to see that my father's case is brought up I shall be under lasting obligations.

If you can spare time to call upon him or aid him in any way, so that he may return to his suffering family, you will greatly oblige your obedient servant,

GEO. L. PANCOAST.

You must remember the high regard my father flet for your yourself in Virginia and his regret at your leaving.

Special report in the case of Samuel A. Pancoast.

RICHMOND, January 21, 1862.

I submit the following papers* with this report:

Examination of S. Pancoast: Had his statement No. 1 shown to him. He read it deliberately and affirmed it was true. As to his position in this war he says he disapproves of the course of the South in seceding and disapproves the course of the North in attempting to coerce the South; says he was so much opposed to the course of the North that his brother-in-law, Thomas Ridgeway, forebade him to come to his house and told him he ought not to come North; says he is a Quaker opposed to war, but is willing to take the oath of allegiance to Virginia and the Confederate States. When asked what time he first embarked in the salt speculation says he first thought of it when under arrest. The date of his first parole, 31st August, he refers to as being the time (see Inclosure No. 5.); says he then designed only to get a few sacks, perhaps a wagon-load for himself and his neighbors, but after he got General Scott's permission determined to make a large speculation when he was first paroled. He says he stated to General Carson

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

*List omitted; see inclosures following this report.

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