HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF ARKANSAS,
Little Rock, Ark., October 28, 1863.

Brigadier General J. S. MARMADUKE, Commanding Cavalry Division:

GENERAL: The communications sent by you under flag of truce have been received. Mrs. Walker's request shall be attended to.

If there was any unfairness in the exchange of prisoners it was without my knowledge or consent. Nothing of the sort on the part of officers under my command will ever meet with my approval. I gave the provost-marshal orders to send the requisite number of prisoners of was to your lines and am not aware that any selection was made in order to give us the best of the bargain.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FREDK. STEELE,

Major-General, Commanding.

OFFICE COMMISSIONER FOR EXCHANGE,

Fort Monroe, Va., October 28, 1863.

Honorable ROBERT OULD, Agent of Exchange, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: Allow me to call you attention to the fact that the officers and crews of the following-named vessels are still detained in Southern prisons. These captures were made in January last and the officers have been paroled and exchanged. Will you let me know by the next flag of truce why they are not released?

U. S. ship Morning Light, U. S. Schooner Velocity, U. S. steamer Harriet Lane.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. A. MEREDITH,

Brigadier-General and Commissioner for Exchange.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., October 28, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel W. S. PIERSON,

Commanding Depot Prisoners of war, Sandusky, Ohio:

COLONEL: Your letter of the [26th] instant and your telegram of the 27th instant are received. You misuse the word "complaint: in applying it to Surgeon Clark's report on the deficiency of your command. He does not complain that things were not in good order, but reports what he deemed to be neglects. You have had every reason to believe that the depot was to be occupied this winter by a large number of prisoners and it was not necessary to wait for a suggestion from Colonel Humphreys to put your hospital improper condition, and it should have been attended to long before this late season of the year. I have not time to give you minute instructions about the many matters which you mention in your letter. The responsibility for the food condition of your command is entirely upon yourself and it is expected that you will not wait for instructions, but act on your own judgment, only asking authority when it is not already in your hands. In your telegram, you report that the quartermaster says he will have sufficient supplies for the winter. You should answer for yourself, not for him.

28 R R - SERIES II, VOL II