HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY EAST TENNESSEE,
Bristol, February 11, 1865.

Brigadier General ALVAN C. GILLEM, U. S. Army:

GENERAL: There are several officers of your command confined in the different military prisons in the South. I am willing to give any captain that belongs to your command that the Confederate authorities hold for Captain Reynolds, who is confined at Knoxville in irons.

Your early reply is earnestly solicited.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN C. VAUGHN,

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

RICHMOND, February 11, 1865.

Brigadier General WILLIAM M. GARDNER,

Acting Commissary General of Prisoners:

SIR: You are aware that by a recent agreement all prisoners of war who heretofore have been or now are held in close confinement or irons are to be mutually released and delivered. As the number held by the enemy is much larger than that held by us, it is very important that the arrangement should be fully carried out. I will, therefore, be much obliged to you if you will send orders to each prison where the Federal prisoners of war are confined, whether they be in State jails or Confederate prisons, directing, first, the release of all such parties, and secondly, that they be forwarded without delay to Richmond. There is one, a Captain Shad. Harris, of Tennessee, for whom the Federals have particularly asked. I do not know where he is confined. He is sentenced to hard labor for the war. I think there are probably others in some of our Southern jails or prisoners.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

RO. OULD,

Agent of Exchange.

RICHMOND, February 11, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel WEST STEEVER, Columbus, Miss.:

Your favor of the 18th ultimo has been received. It is impossible from the data which you give for me to determine whether the parties named in the list you send me are exchanged or not. The material fact is the date of capture, and that is not given. Moreover, if these parties were released on parole upon capture, they are not bound by the parole. This is true of all the cases except the Vicksburg capture. The practice of both belligerents is not to recognize the validity of any parole unless the party was kept in possession and delivered by flag of truce at some point previously agreed upon by competent parties. The only exception to this rule is the Vicksburg capture, because there the paroles were given by agreement between "the commanders of two opposing armies." By this rule and date of capture, taken in connection with the published exchange notices, you can determine all the cases presented in your list.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

RO. OULD,

Agent of Exchange.