commissioner of exchange, residing in Washington City, the following letter, and delivered the same to Major Mulford on the day of its date. * Accompanying that letter was a copy of the communication which I had addressed to Major Mulford on the 10th of August.

On the afternoon of the 30th of August I was notified that the flag-of-truce steamer had again appeared at Varina. On the following day I sent to Major Mulford the following note, to wit:

RICHMOND, August 31, 1864.

Major JOHN E. MULFORD, Assistant Agent of Exchange:

SIR: On the 10th of this month I addressed you a communication to which I have received no answer. On the 22nd instant I also addressed a communication to Major General E. A. Hitchcock, U. S. commissioner of exchange, inclosing a copy of my letter to you of the 10th instant. I now respectfully ask you to state in writing whether you have any reply to either or said communications, and if not, whether you have any reason to give why no reply has been made.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

RO. OULD,

Agent of Exchange.

In a short time I received the following response, to wit:

FLAG-OF-TRUCE STEAMER NEW YORK,

Varina, Va., August 31, 1864.

Honorable R. OULD, Agent of Exchange:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of to-day, requesting answer, &c., to your communication of the 10th instant, on the question of the exchange of prisoners, to which, in reply, I would say I have no communication on the subject from our authorities, nor am I yet authorized to make answer.

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

JOHN E. MULFORD,

Major and Assistant Agent of Exchange.

I have thus fully set before you the action of the Confederate authorities, in relation to a matter which laws so near your hearts, and how it has been received by the enemy.

The fortunes of your fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, and friends are as dear to those authorities as their persons are precious to you, and I have made this publication not only as an illustration of Federal bad faith, but also that you might see that your Government has spared no effort to secure the release of the gallant men who have so often fronted death in the defense of our sacred cause.

RO. OULD,

Agent of Exchange.

SELMA, August 31, 1864.

Brigadier General J. H. WINDER, Commanding Prisoners of War:

GENERAL: I telegraphed to-day that I had selected a point for stockade. I have examined the whole country in this region, and made thorough inquiry. I find all south of the Alabama River, including each side of the Montgomery and Mobile Railroad, unsuitable. First, because the streams overflow widely and are lined with extensive marshes and swamps; but a more important reason is that the whole country on that side of the river is open to Pensacola and sparsely populated, affording every facility for raids. There is no intervening force, except a small one at Pollard. The north bank of the Alabama has little or no timber very near the river, and transportation would be difficult until you reach, say, 75 or 100 miles near the fork of the Tombigbee. As that is beyond the region included in my orders I have not personally inspected it, but I learn from intelligent sources that

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*See August 22, p. 667.

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