nor with the property, except such property as exclusively belongs to the hospitals. It is the duty of the Quartermaster's Department to build, repair and keep in order all buildings and to take care of all property not specially in charge of other officers. A surgeon in charge of a hospital of that size has quite enough to do to attend to the duties growing out of it without aspiring to command troops.

As to the number of officers at the post I will remark-a captain, two lieutenants, open quartermaster, one commissary and three sergeants and one barrack master are none too much for a post containing some one hundred and eighty houses and covering a very large extent containing between three and four thousand men; besides which one of the subalterns is intended for Chimborazo as soon as a commander can be found. I have not the honor of knowing Mr. Chambliss, whose report is quoted, nor have I seen the report.

I will close by remarking that Surgeon Lane, in my office, while speaking on this subject used highly improper and insubordinate language, for which I was obliged to rebuke him and warn him that a repetition would cause his arrest.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO H. WINDER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS, June 15, 1862.

Honorable G. W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War, Richmond.

SIR: I have had the honor to receive your letter of yesterday's date relative to the reported action of the United States Government with respect to Captains Spriggs and Triplett, of the Virginia ranger service, who have ben captured. I have as directed prepared a letter for General McClellan to the effect of your instructions, which I will forward by flag of truce to-morrow. Before doing so, however, I beg that you will inform me if you information is authentic, for on a previous occasion in a like case I found that the report was without foundation.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,

General.

[Indorsement.]

General LEE:

The information was received from Governor Letcher.

General McClellan should be informed that not being certain of its correctness no change in the treatment of the hostages has been made. We shall be happy to learn that we are misinformed.

G. W. R.

RICHMOND, June 16, 1862.

Honorable Mr. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War:

In accordance with your suggestion and for the purpose of drawing your attention more directly to the matter I take the liberty of addressing you a written communication in behalf of Colonel Zarvona* (more commonly known as the French Lady) and in reference to your taking some action in his case. We have been fellow-sufferers and prisoners in Fort Lafayette during the whole of the past winter, he having been

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*For case of Richard Thomas, alias Zarvona, see Vol. II, this Series, p. 379 et seq., and p. 315 same volume for memoranda of the arrest of E. B. Cuthbert.

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