jailer of this court; and thereupon it being demanded of them if anything for themselves they had or knew to says why the court should not now pronounce judgment against them according to law; and nothing being offered or alleged in delay of judgment, it is considered by the court that the said Joseph Shuman and Amandus E. Ludwigbe imprisoned, each of them, respectively, in the public jail and penitentiary house of this Commonwealth for the term of two years, the period by the jurors in their verdict ascertained; and it is ordered that the sheriff of Botetourt County, do, as soon as possible after the adjournment of this court, remove and safely convey the said Joseph Shuman and Amandus E. Ludwig from the jail of this court to the said public jail and penitentiary house, therein to be kept imprisoned and treated in the manner directed by law; and the court doth certify that on the trial of the said Joseph Shuman and Amandus E. Ludwig no thing appeared tot he court outwore in aggravation or extenuation of the offense of the said Joseph Shuman and Amandus E. Ludwig; and thereupon the said Joseph Shuman and Amandus E. Ludwig were remanded to jail.

Ordered, That the sheriff of this county in conveying Joseph Shuman and Amandus E. Ludwig to the penitentiary be authorized to employ one person, as a guard, in addition to the guard allowed by law.

A copy. Teste.

G. W. WILSON, Clerk.

[Inclosure Numbers 4.]

GAULEY BRIDGE, W. VA., November 8, 1863.

SECRETARY OF WAR:

I arrived here on yesterday. Joseph Shuman and Edward [Amandus E.] Ludwig, of Fourth Maine Infantry, were sent to the penitentiary from Botetourt County in October, 1862, for the term of three years, upon the false charges of negro stealing.

Anderson Crawford, of Maryland regiment, has been in same county prison upon the false charge of horse stealing. I was especially recommended to call your attention to the above cases.

W. P. RUCKER, M. D.

NOVEMBER 12, 1863.

NOTE. -Wrote to General Meredith on the subject, to inform Mr. Ould (rebel agent), and that we should [retaliate?] if the statement is true, unless contradicted without reserve.

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General.

CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, WAR DEPARTMENT,

Richmond, November 18, 1863.

CHARLES C. FULTON, Esq.:

SIR: Your letter of the 9th instant, and the $2,000 in Virginia bank notes for the relief of Maryland prisoners, have been received. The fund will be faithfully distributed under the direction of Mr. Cowardin and due and proper returns made to you. I hope that the manner in which this or any other request which you may make for the relief of your prisoners is received will be some proof of the utter falsity of the recent reports which have been in circulation in Northern journals.

Respectfully, &c.,

RO. OULD,

Agent of Exchange.

[NOVEMBER 18, 1863. -For West to Taylor, in relation to exchange of prisoners, see Series I, Vol. XXXVI, Part II, p. 426.]