WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., January 20, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel JOHN E. MULFORD, U. S. Army, &c.:

SIR: Your communication of the 15th instant, covering copies of nine several communications from Mr. Ould of various dates, some as far back as November, has just been received, all of which will be attended to. I desire to say at once that I am ready to consider all of the cases of close confinement referred to by Mr. Ould as coming within the purpose of the recent agreement for the mutual exchange of all that class of persons, and presuming that this will be satisfactory to Mr. Ould, I shall direct General Wessells to send the parties named to Fort Monroe for your disposition.

It is not my design nor desire to retain any one who, by implication even, can be supposed to be entitled to the benefits of the agreement referred to, and I venture to hope that with this assurance immediate relief may be given to such prisoners in the South as also are entitled to the benefits of that agreement.

Some of the communications inclosed in yours of the 15th instant are inquiries which will be answered as soon as I can obtain the necessary information.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Vols., Commissioner for Exchange of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., January 20, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel JOHN E. MULFORD,

Assistant Agent for Exchange, Fort Monroe, Va.:

COLONEL: I have the honor, by direction of the Commissary-General of Prisoners, to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 16th instant in relation to the exchange of rolls of deceased prisoners, and to inform you that the rolls will be promptly forwarded as soon as they can be prepared.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. T. HARTZ,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[JANUARY 20, 1865.--For report of captures by the Army of the Cumberland from September 7, 1864, to January 20, 1865, see Series I, Vol. XLV, Part I, p. 47.]

COLUMBIA, January 20, 1865.

General S. COOPER:

I am at a loss to know where to send prisoners from Florence. In one direction the enemy are in the way. In the other the question of supplies presents an insuperable barrier. I again urge paroling the prisoners and sending them home. I have consulted the Governor and General Chesnut, who both urge that they be paroled. The guard is very weak and insufficient to take care. At once give full instructions.

J. H. WINDER,

Brigadier-General.