I am pleased to learn that Major-General Canby has made application for the exchange of Fort Butler prisoners, and hope they, together with those specified in Articles II and III of cartel entered into between us July 28, 1864, may be delivered without delay.

Agreeably to my promise I forward the list of U. S. naval officers at Tyler and Camp Groce. You already have a list of the crews of the different transports. I beg to inquire what disposition you wish made of them, and also of the teamsters, sutlers, and other army followers in your possession?

I inclose surgeon's report of the death of Mr. Crighton, also a note from a relative of Ex-Major Batt Barrow with regard to his detention in New Orleans, with a list of mechanics and non-combatants captured near Saint Joseph, La., while crossing the Mississippi River. You will perceive that I was in error in my former communication with regard to Mr. A. J. Ruguley. He is not a captain, his status being the same as that of those enumerated in the inclosed list.

I regret not to have received the promised official acknowledgment of the validity of the Brashear City capture and hope that you may bring it to our rendezvous at Galveston.

I also inclose a few letters for persons within your lines.

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

IG. SZYMANSKI,

Assistant Adjutant-General and Asst. Agent of Exchange,

Trans-Mississippi Department, C. S. Army.

RICHMOND, VA., November 18, 1864.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War:

SIR: In the matter of the accompanying resolution of the House of Representatives I have the honor to make the following report:

On the 1st of November, 1864, in my report detailing the operations of the Exchange Bureau, I used the following language in relation to special exchanges, to wit. *

In addition to the foregoing, I beg leave to state that I have been frequently importuned to procure the release of particular individuals amongst our prisoners at the North by proposing to the enemy their exchange for any prisoner of their rank who might be designated by them. I have refused to do so in any case, for two good reasons:

First. It made a discrimination amongst our prisoners. The enemy holding an excess of officers, such a rule, even if all the Federal officers in our possession had been sent North, would have left a large number of our people in prison. Those who were not selected and their friends at home would have had just cause of complaint against their Government for thus leaving them in the hands of the enemy while others with no better claims had been selected for restoration to liberty.

Secondly. Such a proceeding would have enable the enemy in a very short time to secure the release of such parties as they were anxious to release from captivity, and for whom strenuous efforts have been made by influential friends. If the enemy in this way had secured the release of some 200 or 300 of their people they would have cared very little about the fate of the others, and thus a general exchange would have been made hopeless. For the same reasons I have constantly refused to send Federal prisoners North on their parole to

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*For quotation (here omitted) beginning, "An error respecting special exchanges," and ending "after liberty had dawned upon him," see p. 1079.

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