colored soldiers wounded or unable to evade pursuit murdered in cold blood, by the cavalry under your command. I hope for the sake of humanity that these questions may be satisfactory answered.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN NEWTON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF FLORIDA,
March 28, 1865.

Brigadier General JOHN NEWTON,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Key West:

GENERAL: Under an agreement entered into between Lieutenant-General Grant, commanding Armies of the United States, and the Government of the Confederate States, an exchange of prisoners is now going on at various points. There is now in this State an officer of the C. S. Army charged with the duty of paroling prisoners of war and sending them into the lines occupied by U. S. forces for exchange. A portion of the prisoners to be exchanged are in the State of Georgia. They can be delivered within your lines off the light-house near Saint Mark's River with far greater comfort and convenience to themselves than a Mobile, one of the points of exchange agreed upon. I therefore purpose to deliver them to any officer you may designate to receive them, provided you will receipt for them as paroled prisoners to be exchanged. By assenting to this proposition you will relieve from captivity a number of your men much sooner than it can be done otherwise. An early and favorable reply to this will relieve your prisoners from a long and tedious march.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Indorsement.]

HDQRS. DISTRICT OF KEY WEST AND TORTUGAS,
April 14, 1865.

The within proposition of Major-General Jones, C. S. Army, appears to me worthy of acceptance. I respectfully ask for instructions.

JOHN NEWTON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Richmond, Va., March 28, 1865.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General C. S. Army:

GENERAL: I have the honor to request information touching the limits of jurisdiction of the Commissary-General of Prisoners and the commissioner of exchange covering the authority to direct modes of confinement, restraint, and imprisonment not usual in the management of prisoners.

First. Has the commissioner of exchange the authority in this own name to direct the place and mode of confinement of prisoners of war and give special instructions as to treatment in any in exceptional cases?