DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 7, 1862.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN, Washington.

GENERAL: I will thank you to inform me if col. Michael Corcoran, of the Sixty-ninth Regiment of New York State Militia, who was taken prisoner at Bull Run and has ever since been held as such could if unconditionally discharged and sent to Norfolk be with propriety accepted in exchange for William Smith who has recently been convicted of piracy at Philadelphia.

I have the honor to be, general, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

[JANUARY 7, 1862. - For McClellan to Burnside, authorizing the latter to exchange prisoners, see Series I, Vol. IX, p. 352.]

HDQRS. OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, January 7, 1862.

Colonel J. DIMICK, U. S. Army,

Commanding Fort Warren, Boston, Mass.

SIR: By direction of the General-in-Chief the inclosed letter* is referred to you (which you will please return to this office) to aid you in effecting an exchange of the prisoners taken in arms against the United States now at Fort Warren for a like number of our prisoners now detained in the Southern States. You are authorized to send any who are willing to accept the terms to Fort Monroe on their parole to return within say six weeks unless they succeeded in effecting an exchange; in order that a strict account may be kept let there be an understanding before they depart so far as it can be arranged for what particular person belonging to the U. S. Army. Each of the prisoners released by us will try to effect an exchange, and let them report under a flag of truce the names of our prisoners who may be exchanged for each one released by us. Of course when an exchange is effected it is understood that the persons on each side exchanged are exonerated from their parole.

The following prisoners of ours confined in the South are particularly mentioned for exchange: Captain Withington, First Michigan Volunteers; First Lieutenant S. B. Preston, Fourth Michigan Volunteers; Lieutenant M. A. Parks, First Michigan Volunteers. The latter is understood to have a special promise of release whenever a prisoner in our hands of like grade is given up.

I am, colonel, &c.,

[L. THOMAS,]

Adjutant-General.

COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS,

House of Representatives, January 7, 1862.

Honorable SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War.

DEAR SIR: A bill has been referred to this committee providing for the sending by the Government of supplies of clothing and other nec-

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* Omitted here; Thomas to Halleck, January 7, Vol. I, this Series, p. 69.

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