your communication of the 10th of December last made to this Department at the instance of M. Mercier, the minister from France, in regard to the case of Mr. Le More, said to be a French subject, whom the Government had caused to be confined in Fort Pickets at hard labor with a ball and chain upon a charge by General Butler of having been engaged in supplying the insurgements with stores, and with contumacy in refusing to submit to an examination and to produce papers. From these reports it will appear the Mr. Le More is not now in confinement.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS, Fort Pickets, Fla., February 4, 1863.

Lieutenant J. NOWLAND,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Pensacola, Fla.

SIR: I have the honor to state that the communication inclosing letters from War Department in relation to the confinement of Messrs. Le More is received. * In reply I would say that Mr. Le More was confined at this fort on the 15th day of November, 1862, by the order of Major-General Butler; that on the 26th day of November he was ordered to appear at headquarters Department of the Gulf, New Orleans, in compliance with which order he left this post and proceeded to New Orleans since which time he has not been confined here. The communication received are herewith inclosed.

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

H. A. ALLEN,

Captain, Second Artillery, Commanding.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, February 21, 1863.

Respectfully forwarded with additional report from the commanding officer of Fort Pickets.

I understand that all the records in relation to the confinement and release in command prior to December 17, 1862, are retained by my predecessor in command, Major-General Butler. There is nothing on the records of the adjutant-general's office of this department in relation to Mr. Le More.

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, March 6, 1863.

Respectfully referred to Major General B. F. Butler, U. S. Volunteers, for report. To be returned.

By order of the Secretary of War

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

I have the honor to report that Jules Le Mole and Alfred Le More were arrested as army contractors of the Confederate Government. One of them was ordered to answer questions and was ordered into confinement with punishment for contumacy, but I afterwards found the evidence and did not inflict the punishment. When I left New

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* See Wolcott to Butler, December 12, p. 73.

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