and to say if a satisfactory answer can be given at once I have no doubt that on receiving the assurance mentioned the officers now retained as hostages will at once be put on the same footing as other prisoners of war.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. HUGER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Louisville, Ky., February 9, 1862.

Brigadier General R. W. JOHNSON, Commanding Brigade, Munfordville.

SIR: The general commanding desires you to effect an exchange of prisoners with the enemy in our front. To do this you will confer under flag of truce with such general officer as may be designated by the general commanding the enemy's forces and will be governed by the rules which usually govern like cases. A list of the prisoners of war now held in this department is inclosed and they will be subject to your order for the exchange directed.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

OLIVER D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S. --Since writing the above a letter has been received from General A. S. Johnston, a copy of which is inclosed. * From it you will learn that General Hindman has been appointed to confer with you.

OLIVER D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA,
Fort Monroe, Va., February 10, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

SIR: I have the honor to report that yesterday, the 9th instant, I received a dispatch herewith forwarded+ from Major-General Huger, commanding at Norfolk, in reply to my letter to him of the 4th instant, a copy of which I have already transmitted to you. I also received from the general a copy++ herewith inclosed of instructions from J. P. Benjamin to the Honorable James A. Seddon and Honorable C. M. Conrad.

These communications were submitted to the visitors, the Rev. Bishop Ames and the Honorable Hamilton Fish, when it was decided--they having no authority to make arrangements relating to the exchange of prisoners of war--to defer a reply to General Huger until to-day, when I informed him by flag of truce that as the visitors had no authority to make arrangements in regard to the exchange of prisoners of war the instructions to the Honorable James A. Seddon and the Honorable C. M. Conrad had been referred to the Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, and as soon as a reply was received it would be communicated to him.

Herewith you will receive a copy of my reply to General Huger.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN E. WOOL,

Major-General.

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*Omitted here; Johnston to Buell, February 6, p. 243.

+Omitted here; Ames and Fish to Stanton, February 9, with its inclosure, p. 248.

++Omitted here; Benjamin to Seddon and Conrad, February 6, p. 788.

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