State authorities to say how, where, or on what work these negroes shall be employed, or in what manner the commanding general may treat prisoners of war so long as he does not violate the laws of the city or State. It is, in the estimation of the commanding general, gratuitous on the part of the city authorities to request him to put prisoners of war to work on the fortifications, and whether they do anything for officers or not, since there is no State or municipal law on the subject, and does not come properly within the province of the city authorities to comment upon, he is the sole judge of such service.

E. P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., June 11, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners:

SIR: It appears, per General Orders, No. 397, dated War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, December 16, 1863, that Thomas D. Armesey, "now or late major in the so-called Confederate Army. " was sentenced by a military commission "to be confined at hard labor in Fort Warren, near Boston, or such other prison as the Secretary of War may direct, for the term of fifteen years, "upon a charge, of "recruiting men within the lines of the U. S. forces for the so-called Confederate Army. " It appears further that the rebel authorities, as an act of retaliation for the confinement of Major Armesy, have caused to be placed in close confinement in a cell in Libby Prison, Richmond, Major Nathan Goff, Fourth Regiment West Virginia Cavalry, a prisoner of war in their hands. The above facts having been laid before the Secretary of War, he directs that a rebel prisoner of war, with the rank of major, be placed in confinement in a cell, who is to receive treatment in all respects like that receive by Major Guff, and that information of this order be communicated to the rebel authorities, as soon as convenient, by the usual flag-of-truce boat from Fort Monroe, together with the name of the major designated for confinement as above. You will please see that the above order is executed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major General of Vols., Commissioner for Exchange of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, New Orleans, June 11, 1864.

Colonel C. C. DWIGHT,
160th Regiment N. Y. Vols., Commissioner of Exchange:

COLONEL: If satisfactory evidence is made to you on the part of Major-General Taylor, commanding Confederate forces in Western Louisiana, of the number of soldiers of this command actually captured by his forces, and delivered to us on parole and in good faith at Brashear City and the district of the La Fourche in July, 1863, you are authorized to ratify such paroles and allow the same in your settlement of exchange.

This authority is given you upon the understanding that on such ratification and allowance Major-General Taylor will deliver to us the whole excess of prisoners on parole now in his hands.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM DWIGHT,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.