SAINT LOUIS, February 17, 1862.

Lieutenant-Colonel BURBANK, or

COMMANDING OFFICER AT ALTON PRISON, ILLINOIS:

General Tilghman and officers will be given the limits of Alton on their arrival by giving their parole.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

SAINT LOUIS, February 17, 1862.

JOSHUA H. BATES, Cincinnati:

Five hundred sick and wounded will be sent to Cincinnati. Our own troops and enemy's to be treated precisely alike.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,
Fort Donelson, February 17, 1862.

General G. W. CULLUM,

Chief of Staff, Department of the Missouri.

GENERAL: I am now forwarding prisoners of war to your care and I shall be truly to get clear of them. It is a much less job to take than to keep them. In the midst of confusio there has been a great deal of plundering notwithstanding all the precautions taken to prevent it. I ordered guards over all captured property before marching the troops into the works of the enemy but it seemed to do no good. All steamers leaving are serached to recover such as can be found and guards placed to prevent such property from being carried aboard. I would suggest that precautions be taken alsoto prevent landing any captured property except to be taken charge of by a proper officer. Several regiments of my command, General McClernand's division, were repulsed for a time on the morning of the 15th and their blankets fell into the hands of the enemy. I am trying to have them collected and returned. All those lost I believe are gray with the letters U. S. in the center. All such found upon the prisoners I would recommend should be taken from them and returned here.

I am not in want of commissary stores nor any supplies as yet, except ammunition already written for. I would like, however, if you would urge the quartermaster to hurry up the teams left by different regiments from Cairo and Paducah. I permitted no regiment to bring over four teams ona ccount of limited transportation, and many of the new regiments from other points have come without any. The teams captured here will I think supply all our remaining wants if those already assigned to regiments are sent.

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

U. S. GRANT,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,
Fort Donelson, February 17, 1862.

General G. W. CULLUM, Chief of Staff, &c.

GENERAL: I am getting off the prisoners captured as rapidly as possible. This the last will be off to-morrow. I fear they will prove an