I have the honor to inclose to you copies of correspondence with Mr. Ould on this subject in May last, when he informed me that two of our officers had then been selected for execution. *

It now seems that other two have been selected.

I respectfully and earnestly recommend that two Confederate officers now in our hands be immediately selected for execution in retaliation for the threatened one of Sawyer and Flinn, and that I be authorized to communicate their names to the Confederate authorities, with the proper notice.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. H. LUDLOW,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Agent for Exchange of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA,
Fort Monroe, July 12, 1863.

Colonel J. C. KELTON, Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the instructions of the General-in-Chief# in reference to the case of Doctor Rucker.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. LUDLOW,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Agent for Exchange of Prisoners.

ALEXANDRIA, July 12, 1863.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

SIR: I have completed the list of disloyal persons to be sent out of Alexandria, Va., and send this notification, as ordered by you yesterday. ##

Respectfully,

H. H. WELLS,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Provost-Marshal-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA,
Fort Monroe, July 12, 1863.

Honorable ROBERT OULD, Agent for Exchange of Prisoners:

SIR: As understood by me, Doctor Rucker's alleged offenses were committed in West Virginia, within the territory militarily occupied at the time by the troops of the United States. If so, by the laws and usages of war your authorities have no jurisdiction in his case.

If you will release all our medical officers except Doctor Rucker I will send to you all we hold except one to be retained as a hostage for Doctor Rucker, who will be released when Doctor Rucker is released.

If it should be found that Doctor Rucker is properly retained under the cartel or found guilty and punished according to the laws and usages of war, the hostage will be given up. But if improperly

---------------

*See Ould to Ludlow, May 22, beginning "I perceive," Vol. V. this series, p. 691, and Ludlow to Ould, May 25, beginning "Captains McGraw and Corbin," ibid., p. 702.

#Of the 8th, p. 93.

##Probably an oral order, as no record of it can be found.

---------------