The decision not to exchange Admiral Buchanan and other superior officers of the C. S. Navy prevents for the present the execution of this agreement as to the naval prisoners, but this will not interfere with the exchange of the garrison of Fort Gaines, for whom equivalents will be delivered by Major Szymanski immediately upon hiss being notified of our readiness to receive them.

In respect to the exchange of our naval prisoners in Texas, I beg leave to say that such exchange seems to be demanded by every consideration of justice and humanity. Many of them have endured an imprisonment of nearly two years. Their suffering if left in Texas through another winter will be very great. Their exchange heretofore has been prevented by the determination of the rebel authorities to exchange them only for naval prisoners. The naval prisoners captured in Mobile Bay were the first whom it has ever been in our power to offer for them. General Smith holds in Texas more than a sufficient number of our naval men to enable him to give full equivalents for all the officers and men of the C. S. Navy captured in Mobile Bay. It is much to be hoped that the objection which now stands in the way of this exchange may not be final.

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

CHARLES C. DWIGHT,

Colonel and Agent of Exchange.

[First indorsement.]

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., October 30, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded with the request that authority be given me to complete the exchanges agreed upon before the instructions of General Grant suspending further exchanges were received.

The cartel of July 28 was approved by the general commissioner for exchange on the 20th of August, but the Commissary-General of Prisoners has given a retroactive effect to General Grant's order which prevents its completion.

The exchange of the naval prisoners was agreed upon before General Grant's instructions were received, and was authorized by a reference of the subject to me from the War Department. I recommend that the difficulties in the way of completing this exchange be removed, and that the Confederate prisoners captured at Donaldsonville still in our still in our hands may be sent here for delivery, in order to cancel the obligations incurred by the military authorities in this command.

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General.

[Second indorsement.]

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, November 21, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Major General E. A. Hitchcock, commissioner for the exchange of prisoners.

W. A. NICHOLS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 257.
Richmond, October 28, 1864.

* * *

XIX. Authority is hereby granted Messrs. Heck, Brodie & Co., Government contractors, to select from the military prisons at Salisbury, N. C., and Danville, Va., sixty prisoners who may volunteer to work in

67 R R-SERIES II, VOL VII