Columbus, Ky., and Flag-Officer Foote and myself, commanding the naval and military forces engaged yesterday in our myself reconnaissance of the rebel water batteries at Columbus Bluff, Ky. I would suggest the propriety of their publication.

Very respectfully, your must obedient,

GEO. W. CULLUM,

Brit. General Volunteers, U. S. Army, Chief of Staff and Engineers.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Columbus, Ky., February 22, 1862.

To the COMMANDING OFFICER U. S. FORCES, Cairo, Ill.:

Presuming you would be willing to reciprocate the courtesy shown to the families of officers of the U. S. Army after the battle of Belmont in allowin them to visit those officers who were prisoners within my lines, I take the liberty of sending up under a flag of truce the families of several of our officers who were captured at Donelson. These are the families of General Bruckner, Colonels Hanson and Madeira. They are accompanies by Colonel Russell, Mr. VAnce and [Mr.] Stockade as escort; also by Mr. Mass.

Hoping you may find it convenient to send these ladies forward to their husbands I have the honor to remain, respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. POLK,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

U. S. FLAG-STEAMER CONCINNATI,

Mississippi River near Columbus, Ky., February 23, 1862.

Major-General L. POLK, Commanding at Columbus, Ky.

GENERAL: Your letter of the 22nd instant received to-day by the hands of Captain Blake under a flag of truce nearly within range of your guns and in the presence of our armed forces at 12,30 p. m. to-day, will be answered to-morrow by a flag of truce at same point of the river at which this was received.

Very respectfully, your obedient servants,

ANDREW H. FOOTE,

Flag-Officer, Commanding Naval Forces Western Waters.

GEO. W. CULLUM,

Brigadier General, Chief of Staff and Engineers, Dept. of the Missouri.

[Inclosure Numbers 3.]

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Columbus, Ky., February 23, 1862.

ANDREW H. FOOTE,

Flag-Officer, Commanding Naval Forces Western Waters.

GEO. W. CULLUM,

Brigadier-General, Chief of Staff and Engineers.

GENTLEMEN: I have received your note of this date acknowledging mine of yesterday asking permission for the wives of certain Confederate States officers to visit their husband who had been made prisoners of war at Fort Donelson.

This application was based on the fact that I had on a former occasion granted a similar request made of me in behalf of the wives of