please send me a communication through the gun-boats and I will meet you at any time you may be pleased to designate.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. H. STERLING,

Captain, First U. S. Infantry, Agent of Exchange.

[APRIL 13, 1865.--For Curell to Surget, in regard to exchange of Confederate prisoners captured at Spanish Fort and Blakely, Ala., see Series I, Vol. XLIX, Part II, p. 1237.]

HEADQUARTERS, April 13, 1865.

Colonel H. BERTRAM:

General Bailey is ordered to prepare a sufficient number of sea-going vessels to take your prisoners to Ship Island. He will report to you the moment the vessels are ready for the reception of the prisoners at Starke's Wharf.

P. J. OSTERHAUS,
Chief of Staff.

[APRIL 14, 1865.--For reports and correspondence relating to the assassination of President Lincoln and measures for arrest of the assassins, see Series I, Vol. XLVI, Parts I and III.]

[APRIL 14, 1865.--For Johnston to Sherman, asking suspension of hostilities, and resulting correspondence, see Series I, Vol. XLVII, Part III, p. 206 et seq.]

WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., April 14, 1865.

General WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners:

SIR: For the use of the Secretary of War I request you to hand me lists of the names of the applicants for discharge among the rebel prisoners of war. A full list is not at once necessary, but let them be as large as may be conveniently made to-day, to be continued from day to day until the names shall be exhausted, keeping the lists, as far as possible, separate for the prisoners at the separate depots, so that each list may, if approved by the Secretary of War, be sent to the commanding officer where the prisoners are.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers, Commissioner of Exchange.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA.,
Meridian, April 14, 1865.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding U. S. Forces at Mobile, Ala.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that I send by flag of truce to your lines Major James R. Curell, one of the assistant agents for exchange of prisoners appointed by the Confederate States Government to confer with you, or your authorized agent, in regard to the