inclose the barracks they occupy, but anticipating the necessity of taking care of more prisoners the inclosure had better be made if made at all large enough to contain barracks for double the number of prisoners. There is a scant supply of water, but that can probably be remedied by digging the wells deeper.

Ice is still in the bay but so soft that any little wind will carry it off, and I hope to-morrow or next day to telegraph that prisoners may be sent to this depot.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Lieutenant Colonel Eighth Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 11, 1862.

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, &c., London.

SIR: Intelligence has reached here of the arrest of Semmes,* the commander of the Sumter, at Tangier, by the United States consul at that place. It seems desirable that he should be sent home for trial. This has accordingly been suggested to the Secretary of the Navy and you will telegraph to Mr. Sprague at Gibraltar to request the consul at Tangier to hold Semmes and to deliver him to the order of the Secretary of the Navy, if this can be done with the consent of the Moorish authorities.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, March 11, 1862.

STEPHEN A. COBB, Wyandott, Kans.

SIR: Your letter of the 3rd instant is received, in which you present the case of George O. Schreiner, who was wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Springfield, Mo., while serving at a cannon as an unattached volunteer, and request to be informed if there is any order or law exisitng whereby he may obtain pay and a pension. In reply I am directed by the Secretary of War to inform you that there is none.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

SENATE CHAMBER, Washington, March 11, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

SIR: I inclose you the application of Captain Alfred Gibbs, of the Third U. S. Cavalry, in behalf of the officers and men of his command now stationed at Fort Wayne, near Detroit, to be exchanged.

It seems they were treacherously surrendered by Major Isaac Lynde, Seventh Infantry, at San Augustine Springs, N. Mex., on the 27th July last. I inclose the list sent by Captain Gibbs, and also a letter from my personal friend William Gray, esq., of Detroit. I really hope the case of these brave fellows may receive the early attention of the Department. Shall they not?

I have the honor to be, &c.,

J. M. HOWARD.

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*ERROR: It was Myers and Tunstall who were arrested.

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