now a prisoner of war in our hands, to be sold and the proceeds appropriated as agreed upon between Lieutenant-General Grant and Judge R. Ould, as per inclosed copies of official correspondence. *

The Secretary of War has selected you to attend to the execution of this agreement on our part by paroling the said Brigadier-General Beall, accompanying him to New York to receive the above-mentioned cotton, in its sale, and the expenditure of the proceeds, as well as the distribution of th articles, as specified in the inclosed agreement. While you will allow to Brigadier-General Beall all proper facilities for carrying out this agreement, it must be understood that all his acts are to be subject to your supervision, and that no sales, purchases, or distributions or to be made without your knowledge. All his business transactions and accounts must be subject to your inspection. The Commissary of Prisoners will furnish him through you with the number of prisoners at each depot, as provided in paragraph 6 of the agreement.

The form of parole to be given by General Beall+ is submitted herewith.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. H. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

[Indorsement.]

NOVEMBER 28, 1864.

These papers are respectfully referred to Brigadier-General Wessels, Commissary-General of Prisoners of War, with the instructions to carry out so much as may belong to his office.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

OFFICE ASST. AGENT FOR EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS,

FLAG-OF-TRUCE STEAMER NEW YORK,

Savannah River, November 21, 1864.

Major-General BUTLER, Commissioner for Exchange:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that I have up to the present time received over 3,000 of our men. Their physical condition is rather better than I expected, but their personal is worse than anything I have ever seen-fifth and rags. It is a great labor to cleanse and clothe them, but I am fairly at work and will progress as rapidly as possible. I have much to say, but have little time for writing now. I have got off two vessels to-day and will try and get off two to-morrow, and so on. Matters have been rather queerly managed here in the mode of conducting truce business. I have nothing whatever to do with the old matters, or the business of this department. Inclosed I send you latest papers, and have the honor to be,

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO E. MULFORD,

Lieutenant-Colonel and U. S. Agent for Exchange of Prisoners.

[NOVEMBER 21, 1864. -For Foster to Halleck, referring to exchange of prisoners under the charge of Lieutenant-Colonel Mulford, see Series I, Vol. XLIV, p. 517.]

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*See Ould to Grant November 11, p. 1117, and Grant to Ould November 12, p. 1122.

+Form here omitted. For parole as executed, see Gibson to Hartz, December 7, p. 1199.

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