The first-named negro was arrested by order of Brigadier-General Davis, commanding post, on account of a riote at his house. The other three, from Campbell County, Tenn., ran away to Powell's Valley some time since and perhaps have been to Kentucky. They were captured by a scouting party from Big Creek Gap and sent to this place by Colonel Palmer, Fifty-eighth North Carolina Regiment.

I respectfully recommend that the first-named negro be turned over to Messrs. McGee & Co. What disposition shall be made of the others?

Respectfully,

JOHN E. TOOLE,

Colonel and Provost-Marshal.

[Indorsement.]

Turn them all over to McGee & Co.

By command of Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith:

H. L. CLAY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS,
Grenada, January 4, 1863.

Honorable G. G. VEST, Member of Congress.

SIR: General Price directs me to acknowledge the reception of your communication* of the 30th ultimo in relation to the murder of Colonel Frisby H. McCullough by the Federal authorities in Northern missouri, and to state in reply that the general is under the impression that Colonel McCullough obtained recruiting authority from him at Springfield last winter. He does not know whether Colonel McCullough organized troops under this authority or not. Your communication has been referred to Adjutant-General Hough, to whom all the books, &c., pertaining to the Missouri State Guard were delivered with the request that he will furnish to you a copy of the recruiting authority given to Colonel McCullough.

The general further directs me to say that he will cordially co-operate with you in any endeavor that you may make to prevent the murder of citizens and soldiers of Missouri.

I am, sir, &c.,

JAMES M. LOUGHBOROUGH.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, January 5, 1863.

Honorable JOHN B. BALDWIN, Staunton, Va.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose to you a copy* of the report of S. S. Baxter, esq., who was charged with the investigation anew of the case of Samuel Simmons. It appears from this report and the accompanying certificates that Simmons was received at the C. S. Military Prison in this city on the evening of the 7th of September last, was transferred to the hospital on the 12th and died there on the 18th or 19th of the same month. The seeming loss of all trace of this unfortunate man while in the custody of the military authorities presented a case sufficiently startling to arouse the anxious attention of the Department. The illness of Mr. Simmons unhappily occurring so speedily after he was brought to Richmond issuing in his death in the brief space of six days doubtless prevented his case being the subject of examination

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*Not found.

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