The commanding officer at Fort Columbus is charged with the execution of this order.

By command of Major-General Dix:

D. T. VAN BUREN,

Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE EAST,
New York City, February 21, 1865.

COMMANDING OFFICER FOR COLUMBUS, New York Harbor:

The major-general commanding the department directs me to inform you that the sentence pronounced in the case of John Y. Beall, viz, "to be hanged by the neck until dead," will be duly carried into execution at Fort Columbus, N. Y. Harbor, on Friday, the 24th instant, between the hours of 12 m. and 2 p. m., and that you are duly charged with the execution of the same.

This communication will be handed to you by Captain Wright Rives, aide-de-camp, who will communicate the same to Mr. Beall.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. T. VAN BUREN,

Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS C. S. ARMIES, February 21, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT, Commanding U. S. Armies:

GENERAL: I am informed by the Secretary of War, to whom the proposition relative to citizen prisoners contained in your letter of the 16th instant was submitted, that our commissioners of exchange have already received instructions to effect an arrangement with those of the United States similar to that proposed by you. And I am also informed that it is intended that the release of citizen prisoners held by the Confederate authorities shall immediately follow the exchange of military prisoners now in progress. This fact renders it unnecessary to reply more fully to your specific question with be no difficulty in relieving all such prisoners on both sides.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,

General.

37 BLEECKER STREET, New York, February 21, 1865.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff U. S. Army:

GENERAL: I have the honor to forward the petition of General Beall to be relieved from the internal revenue tax of 2 cents per pound on the cotton received from Mobile under the arrangement between Lieutenant-General Grant and Judge Ould, with the correspondence of Mr. Commissioner Lewis and Messrs. Duncan, Sherman & Co. on that subject.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. E. PAINE,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

[Indorsement.]

Submitted to Secretary of War. No action.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.