since April, 1863. He was captured on a steam-boat in the Mississippi River. He is connected with the Northern press.

Will you exchange one for the other? Hambleton claims that he has a paper from you saying you will do so, and upon this he vexes all my friends and me continually. Please say definitely that you will or that you will not, so that I can stop his mouth.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General and Commissioner for Exchange.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
In the Field, Va., August 10, 1864.

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

SIR: Fred. Clark, a private in the Seventh Maine Volunteers, was taken prisoner some time in December, at Mine Run. It is supposed he may have died in the Mayo Hospital, Richmond, but it is not made certain. You will do me a great favor by having it ascertained and report.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General and Commissioner for Exchange.

HAGERSTOWN, MD., August 10, 1864.

His Excellency President LINCOLN, Washington:

SIR: General Early, of the rebel army, caused to be arrested as hostages on Saturday last seven of our citizens, who, when taken into his presence at Williamsport, were released on parole to report themselves in Richmond in two weeks.

The gentlemen arrested were the Rev. Dr. John B, Kerfoot, president of the College of Saint James, in this county; Reverend Mr. Coit, a professor in that institution; Isaac Nesbitt, esq., clerk of the circuit court for this county; Andrew H. Hager, a leading miller and merchant of this place; Fredk. C. McComas, of this neighborhood, inspector of whisky, &c., under the national revenue laws; Reverend Mr. Edwards, rector of the Protestant Episcopal Church of this town, and the Reverend Mr. Hyde, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this place. I understand that the two first named were taken to be held as hostages for the Reverend Doctor Boyd, of Winchester, Va., arrested and held by order of General Hunter, and the others as hostages for certain persons taken and held under order of General Hunter, in a matter relative to the burning of a store at Hedgesville, Berkeley County, Va.

I was not here when these arrests were made, having absented myself when the rebels came in. Had I been here there is every probability that I would have been among the number arrested.

Doctor Kerfoot, Mr. Nesbitt, Mr. Edwards, and those of the party have repaired to Washington for the purpose of seeing and prevailing upon the proper authorities to release those in confinement under General Hunter's orders, that they themselves may in turn be released from their parole and the apprehended horrors of a loathsome and extended confinement in Libby Prison.

Knowing these gentlemen well, it becomes me to add my appeal to theirs for their liberation form the dreadful dilemma in which they have