their wretchedness from the want of food and clothing, which it has not been in our power to furnish, has induced me to suggest a remedy that, without having the merit of being intended solely to relieve them, will be of vital importance to ourselves. We shall try to feed them; to clothe will be entirely out of our power. With us the future has no greater question than that of the subsistence of our armies and our people. I only glance at this point; you know all about it, and I assume that you will concur in that opinion. If so, when we add 30,000 more consumers, or 25,000 more consumers, without aiding us in the least in carrying on the war we see at once an alarming leak in our commissary department, and at the same time the necessity of detailing a considerable armed force to keep them in subordination. If one peck of corn per week be given to 30,000 men it will be a consumption of 7,500 bushels, or 30,000 bushels per month. Can we stand this? Is there any good that can be accomplished by this detention that will compensate for this exhausting process that will be carried on in our resources? Many of these prisoners are said to have served their time, and doubtless nearly all of them would be content with the experience they have had already with the stern realities of war. Then why not parole them, as an exchange seems to be out of the question? We cannot give a white man for a negro, and Sherman refuses to consider a man whose time is served out a prisoner at all. So we are at a perfect stand-still on the question of exchanging. If you agree with me in this, would it not be better to get rid of these mouths on the best terms we can? If you can perceive any weight in these suggestions and any tendency to relieve the embarrassments of our situation, as these prisoners are now in South Carolina, the Confederate Government would regard with the highest consideration any suggestion which you might feel an inclination to make. If you see nothing in them bearing upon the great interest of our common country in this her hour of peril, you will of course dismiss the subject with the slight attention it merits. For although I should be pleased to be of service in averting any calamity which may be threatened, I should not be at all displeased should you decide that there is no just cause of apprehension in this matter.

Very respectfully, your friend and obedient servant,

C. W. DUDLEY.

[First indorsement.]

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Columbia, S. C., September 27, 1864.

The within communication is respectfully forwarder to the Honorable Secretary of War. It is from the Honorable C. W. Dudley, a prominent citizen of the eastern section of this State.

M. L. BONHAM.

[Second indorsement.]

It presents a great embarrassment, but I see no remedy which is not worse than the evil. For the present we must hope the enemy will be constrained to relinquish their inhuman policy of refusing exchange. We are not responsible for the miserable sufferings of the captives, and cannot afford to release them to replenish Yankee armies and supply Yankee laborers.

J. A. S.,

Secretary.