Md. Letters from enlisted men of the Twenty-first Regiment Illinois Volunteers, whose truth and sincerity are personally known to His Excellency, state that some thirty members of this regiment were reported at the paroled camp at Annapolis on or before the 12th instant who on passage from Richmond and since arrival at Annapolis have received harsh treatment from officers in charge; allowed to go without rations for thirty-six to forty hours, and for two days after landing at Annapolis not provided with quarters, subsistence or blankets. These men have been in service since June, 1861, have fought at Donelson and Shiloh and passed months in Southern prisons without necessaries of life, and upon their return to Annapolis where they should be bountifully supplied by Government officials they receive attentions which are under the circumstances more disheartening than while in rebel hands. Believing that these abuses grow out of carelessness of subordinate officers immediately n charge of paroled men at different camps and that neglect could only be chargeable for a very short time the State authorities have passed without attention many letters of complaint received direct and others sent by friends to the Governor, but the number and nature of complaints now made leads to the request that you will so far as may be consistent cause proper attention to be paid our volunteers at Annapolis whenever any may be reported, and in case of those now there that they may be sent to Camp Butler, Ill., or to Benton Barracks, Saint Louis, where they can receive attentions of friends and fitted at an early day to resume active duty.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ALLEN C. FULLER,

Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DISTRICT,
Vicksburg, February 24, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding U. S. Forces in front of Vicksburg.

GENERAL: I am instructed by the lieutenant-general commanding this department to transmit to you the inclosed copy of a notice purporting to have been issued by Admiral David D. Porter, U. S. Navy.

I request that you will inform me whether this document is authentic and if it be whether the operations of any part of the forces under you are to be conducted in accordance with the principles announced by Admiral Porter or with those of a civilized warfare.

While the troops of this Confederacy whom I have the honor to command will actively repel the invasion of our territory by the forces of the United States it is my desire that their operations shall be in accordance with the usages of war, of humanity and of civilization. I shall deplore the necessity for any departure from them.

Therefore I hope this notice of Admiral Porter is not authentic or that it will be reconsidered, and that in no case will its threats be executed because I am instructed to say if they are the fullest retaliation will be inflicted upon the Federal prisoners now in our hands or whom we may capture; and no quarter will be given to any officer, soldier or citizen of the United States taken in the act of burning houses, laying waste the plantations or otherwise wantonly destroying the property of the citizens of this Confederacy; and that all such persons suspected of having been guilty of such acts will not if taken be treated as prisoners of war but will be kept in close confinement.