RICHMOND, March 7, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel JOHN E. MULFORD, Assistant Agent of Exchange:

SIR: I beg leave to call your attention to the inclosed list* of Confederate soldiers, who are now and have been for some time in close confinement in cells described by one of the inmates as "dark and damp" at Fort McHenry. These soldiers, as you will perceive by the designation of the commands to which they belong, are regularly enlisted in the Confederate service, and why they are selected for such harsh and cruel treatment I do not know. They have been told that should they be able to establish the fact that they belonged to a regulard organized command they would be placed on the same footng as other prisoners of war. They have also been informed by the officials at Fort McHenry that they are so confined and punished by order of General Sheridan. The agreement that we made about officers and men in close confinement or irons has already been faithfully executed on my part. I challenge one instance to the contrary; and yet here, within forty miles of the capital, more than thirty regulrly enlisted soldiers are subjected to cruel treatment. I respectfully ask that you will bring the contents of this letter to [the attention of] General Grant, and further inform him that I will present conclusive evidence that there are now in nearly every quarter of the United States, where there are prisoners, Confederate officers and men belonging to regularly organized commands in close confinement, and some in irons.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

RO. OULD,

Agent of Exchange.

RICHMOND, March 7, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel JOHN E. MULFORD, Assistant Agent of Exchange:

SIR: Captain Shadrick Harris, of Tennessee, who was formerly in close confinement at Columbia, S. C., was released last week and delivered near Wilmington, as the receipt of Brigadier-General Abbott certifies.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

RO. OULD,

Agent of Exchange.

HDQRS MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., March 7, 1865.

Major General E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Commissioner of Exchange, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: In the absence of Major-General Canby I have the honor to forward to you a list+ of officers and men, prisoners of war, belonging to commands not within this military division, who were delivered on parole to Brigadier General George L. Andrews, commanding at Baton Rouge, La., on the 31st day of December last, to be specially exchanged for officers and men of the rebel Army held here as prisoners of war. The special exchagne was authorized by Major-General Canby, and was effected on the 4th instant by the delivery at Mobile, Ala., of full equivalents for those named in the inclosed list. These officers and men shold therefore be declared exchanged and returned to duty, but as they belong to various commands serving beyond the limits of this

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* Not found.

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+ Omitted.