[Fourth indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
City Point, Va., September 22, 1864.

Respectfully returned to the Commissary - General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.

Many of the prisoners captured at Vicksburg declined being paroled for the reason that they wished to avoid further service in the rebel army, but I gave them no promises or pledges of may kind. I would recommend, however, that all the prisoners sent north from Vicksburg after the captured of that place, who desire to take the oath of allegiance, be permitted to do so and beset at liberty.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant - General.

MILITARY PRISON, Salisbury, N. C., August 18, 1864.

I am a citizen and native of the State of Illinois and was born May 1, 1839. The greater part of my life has been spent on a farm; but previous to my capture I was engaged in a railroad office in Peoria, Ill. On the 16th of December, 1862, I received a letter from Oxford, Miss., which stated that my brother, John H. Doran, of Company D, Ninety-fifth Illinois Infantry, was very sick with typhoid pneumonia, and that, as hospital arrangements were not good, it would be best for me to go to him to nurse and take care of him. Accordingly, I immediately started and reached Oxford December 21 and engaged at once in trying to a alleviate the sufferings of my brother. On or about the 22nd day of the month general Van Dorn captured and destroyed General Grant's stores at Holly Springs, thereby compelling him (Grant) to fall back from his position at and below Oxford with some haste in order to obtain abase for supplies. My brother being too low to admit of his removal I resolved to stay with him and nurse him, which I did, until the 26th of December, 1862, when Lieutenant Burrow, of the Arkansas cavalry, entered the town and, hearing of me, said I must go to Vicksburg for exchange and leave my brother to the care of other hands. I was then sent to Jackson, where I arrived too late to be sent to Vicksburg, as exchanges at that point had ceased. I was sent to Mobile about the 1st of March, 1863, when I received the assurance of General Mackall that I would be sent home at the first opportunity. On the 16th of March I was started for Richmond, where I arrived about the 21st; but, unfortunately for me, in company with some Confederate deserters. The guard who had us in charge reported to the provost - marshal, whit old them top ut the deserters in Castle Thunder and me in Libby. When we arrived at the Castle some of the officers there said it would make no

difference about my going to Libby, as I would be sent from there (the Castle) by the first boat, and, accordingly, I was put in the Castle. After waiting several days and hearing nothing further of my case, I asked Captain Alexander about it and was told I should go by the next boat with out fail. I then waited several weeks longer, when, learning nothing further, I wrote to General Winder a full statement of my case. This resulted in getting my case before the Secretary of War, who issued an order for me to be sent north by the first boat, and I was sent to the Libby for that purpose on the 18th day of May, 1863. After waiting for over three months to be sent North, I, with other citizen of much more recent capture, was sent to the