NEW ORLEANS, LA., March 1, 1865. (Via Cairo.)

His Excellency A. LINCOLN, President of the United States:

I have given a pass to enter our lines, and safe-conduct and protection while within them, to Smith P. Bankhead, a brigadier-general in the rebel service, with the assurance that if the information he gives is of its promised value I will recommend his case to your favorable consideration. As similar overtures have been made to me before, I think it proper to ask for some general instructions with regard to that class of persons excepted by your proclamation of December 8, 1863. There is no difficulty in treaning with persons who are entitled to the benefit of that amnesty, but I desire to be advised how far I may take preliminary steps in cases that require the action of the President.*

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

VARINA, VA., March 1, 1865.

Lieutenant-General GRANT, City Point, Va.:

Your dispatch received. I am glad of your decision. Pryor does not yet know that he has been detained. I persuaded him yesterday to remain, and was waiting until I could hear from Ould, to whom I wrote a private note yesterday in Dent's case, and I really have strong hopes that it will result in the release of Mr. Dent. I sent Captain Hewitt Lewis to you this morning.

JNO E. MULFORD,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Agent of Exchange.

VARINA, VA., March 1, 1865.

Colonel DENT, Aide-de-Camp, City Point:

Our prisoners will not be down to-day, nor will they come until the water subsides. I am unwilling to permit our men in their present condition to march twelve miles over such roads as we now have.

JNO E. MULFORD,

Lieutenant-Colonel, &c.

WASHINGTON, March 1, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel JOHN E. MULFORD,

Agent for Exchange, Fort Monroe, Va.:

I wish you, without delay, would arrange with Judge Ould for a declaration of exchange, either mutually to a definite time or according to a stated number, say 1,000, 2,000, or 5,000, as may be agreed upon. General Hoffman needs relief by a declaration.

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers and Commissioner of Exchange.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE JAMES, March 1, 1865.

Major-General HITCHCOCK:

The high water has prevented an interview with Mr. Ould for several days. I expect to meet him to-morrow, when I shall arrange an

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*For reply see Stanton to Canby, Series I, Vol. XLVIII, Part I, p. 1216.

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