FORT HAMILTON, July 8, 1863.

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

The attachment just issued against me has reference to the old case of the Baltimore police commissioners. It seems that the former attachment in the same case was returned to the sheriff of the county for want of the necessary force to enable [him] to execute it; hence the present attachment, which is now in the hands of the sheriff. I have to request of the Honorable E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, that he would order Marshal Murray to arrest the lawyer that had a hand in this business and send him immediately to Fort Lafayette.

MARTIN BURKE,

Lieutenant-Colonel Third Artillery.

RICHMOND, July 8, 1863.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS:

SIR: Under the authority and instructions of your letter to me of the 2nd instant, I proceeded on the mission therein assigned without delay. The steamer Torpedo, commanded by Lieutenant Hunter Davidson, of the Navy, was put in readiness as soon as possible by order of the Secretary of the Navy and tendered for the service. At noon on the 3rd she started down the James River, hoisting and bearing a flag of truce after passing City Point.

The next day (the 4th) at about 1 p. m., when within a few miles of Newport News, we were met by a small boat of the enemy carrying two guns, which also raised a white flag before approaching us.

The officer in command informed Lieutenant Davidson that he had orders from Admiral Lee on board the U. S. flag-ship Minnesota, lying below and then in view, not to allow any boat or vessel to pass the point near which he was stationed without his permission. By this officer I sent to Admiral Lee a note stating my objects and wishes, a copy of which is hereto annexed, marked A. * I also sent to the admiral to be forwarded another note in the same language addressed to the officer in command of the U. S. forces at Fort Monroe. The gunboat proceeded immediately to the Minnesota with these dispatches, while the Torpedo remained at anchor. Between 3 and 4 p. m. another boat came up to us bearing the admiral's answer, which is hereto annexed, marked B. +

We remained at or about this point in the river until the 6th instant, when, having heard nothing further from the admiral, at 12 m. on that day I directed Lieutenant Davidson again to speak the gun-boat on guard and to hand to the officer in command another note to the admiral. This was done. A copy of this note is appended, marked C. ++ At 2. 30 p. m. two boats approached us from below, one bearing an answer from the admiral to my note to him on the 4th. This answer is annexed, marked D. @ The other boat bore the answer of Lieutenant Colonel W. H. Ludlow to my note of the 4th, addressed to the officer in command at Fort Monroe. A copy of this is annexed, marked E. # Lieutenant-Colonel Ludlow also came up in person in the boat that brought his answer to me and conferred with Colonel Ould on board the Torpedo upon some matters he desired to see him about in connection with the exchange of prisoners.

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* See Stephens to Lee, July 4, p. 79.

+ Lee to Stephens, July 4, p. 80.

++ Stephens to Lee, July 6, p. 84.

@ Lee to Stephens, July 6, p. 84.

# Ludlow to Stephens, July 6, p. 84.

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