the Division of West Mississippi, and I have sent a commissioner to the mouth of Red River to meet the commissioner appointed by him. I have instructed the commissioner sent by me that all negotiations shall be conducted under the recognized and expressed understanding that the conditions of the cartel of july 22, 1862, shall apply to all troops in the service of the United States; that officers and men of colored regiments shall receive the same treatment, be entitled to the same privileges, and be exchanged in the same manner as other troops, and that the third article of the cartel shall apply to all conditions without distinction. In addition to the prisoners now held by us, General Smith proposes to exchange the Louisiana brigade captured at Vicksburg and paroled by Lieutenant- General Grant and the captures in the Departments of Arkansas and the Gulf. if these exchanges are made there will be still a balance against us in this division of 3,000 men.

I have no information with regard to the Louisiana brigade or the captures at Arkansas post. Will you please cause it to be furnished me!

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

WASHINGTON, D. C., June 21, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel M. BURKE, Commanding Fort Lafayette, N. Y.:

Send Major G en. Frank Gardner, a prisoner of war at Fort Lafayette, under a safe guard to Fort Delaware. Allow him to have communication with no person by the way. Reply.

W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary- General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY- GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., June 21, 1864.

Colonel A. G. DRAPER,

Commanding District of Saint Mary's, Point Lookout, Md.:

COLONEL: All the rebel officers now at Point Lookout who are well enough for the voyage will be immediately transferred to Fort Delaware, and for this purpose a steamer will report to you in a day or two. They will be placed in charge of a guard of 200 men, under command of a field officer, who will deliver them to the commanding officer at Fort Delaware and take a receipt for them. Instruct the commander to select a suitable part of the vessel for his guard, where he will keep it embodied, having sentinels distributed through the ship to keep order and give alarm when necessary. The men of the guard should not take off their accouterments nor place their arms out of their reach during the voyage, and they must be required to be particularly vigilant at all times. If you have them, furnish some of the guard with revolvers. Call the attention of the officer in command to article 37 of Revised Army Regulations, in relation to troops on transport. Send a list of the prisoners with them and a copy to this office. Cooked provisions will be furnished to the command for the voyage.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary- General of Prisoners.