and those who for years have been my associates. The chief object of this letter, however, is to ask if my brother officers and myself can be permitted to communicate with our families.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

F. S. CONOVER,

Acting Lieutenant, U. S. Navy.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. C., GA. AND FLA., Numbers 32.
Charleston, February 4, 1863.

I. All prisoners of war in this city (except officers and negroes) of the land and naval service of the United States will be sent forthwith and turned over to Brigadier-General Winder at Richmond, Va.

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III. All officers of the land and naval service of the United States at present prisoners in the custody of the provost-marshal near these headquarters will be sent for further confinement to Columbia, S. C., until further orders.

* *

By command of General Beauregard:

JNO M. OTEY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, February 5, 1863.

Brigadier-General WINDER,

Honorable R. OULD:

Your letter of the 20th ultimo relative to the intercourse between citizens of the United States and Confederate States by the boat coming to City Point under flag of truce has been received. The intercourse should be regulated on terms of equality and reciprocity. If the Federal Government as here to the rule that none shall pass to the United States except with the permission of the Secretary of War the requisition should be made that none should be permitted to land here without a previous permission from the War Department. No permission of the Secretary of War of the United States should be respected the application for which was not made through the commissioner of exchange (Mr. Ould). The Department does not perceive any necessity of placing those who are permitted to land nor those who shall make application to depart from the Confederate States under a special surveillance. None of the latter class are allowed to leave at this time without affording satisfactory references to their good character. That precaution will be continued. The Department is quite willing to place the subject in the hands of the commissioners of exchange of prisoners, and that they may determine who shall be allowed to go and return on either side. It does not desire to impose restrictions or embarrassments in the way of such intercourse as it is willing to allow at all. The adoption of any rules by the United States Government may require the adoption of corresponding rules on the part of this Government, but the Department would prefer rules which would not subject persons on either side to inconvenience, expense or delay.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.