lieu of pay. The owner, who had rented the property to the Government, had attached the personal effects for his rent. I arrested him and took the property from the sheriff, but learning that the ordnance people were thus helping themselves I declined to interfere with the civil authorities. Shall I take possession of everything, taking it from the sheriff?

BRADLEY T. JOHNSON,

Brigadier-General.

GREENSBOROUGH, April 19, 1865.

General BRADLEY T. JOHNSON:

Is any one at Salisbury in charge of Federal prisoners? I have 200 at my headquarters that I wish to dispose of. Please answer at once.

E. J. HARVIE.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, April 20, 1865.

President JOHNSON:

Mr. PRESIDENT: The Honorable Mr. Stewart, Senator from Nevada, and son-in-law of Governor Foote, desires to have him released from imprisonment on his giving his parole not to go south of the Ohio River. Have you any objection to his release on these terms? If not, please write the word "approved" with your signature under this note and return it by the bearer.

With respect, your obedient servant,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DISTRICT OF FLORIDA,
Tallahassee, Fla., April 20, 1865.

Brigadier General JOHN NEWTON,

Commanding District of Key West and Tortugas, Key West, Fla.:

GENERAL: An answer to your letter of 28th ultimo has been delayed by my absence from this place when it was received. In reply to your questions regarding the treatment of prisoners of war in my hands I have to say that I have invariably treated all prisoners of war in accordance with the usages of civilized warfare. When Lieutenant Wilson of the U. S. service and his party were captured two or three private soldiers of our service applied to him some harsh and abusive language and were promptly arrested for it by the officer to whom the lieutenant and surrendered. I have inquired of the officer immediately in command of our cavalry on the occasion you refer to as to the murdering of certain wounded prisoners, and he assures me that there is no truth whatever in the report that has reached you, and I have no hesitation in confirming his statement.

In reply to your inquiry whether Strickland and another enlisted man of the Second Florida Cavalry (United States) have been put to death by your (my) authority after capture, and for what cause, I have to say that a man named Strickland and another named Brannan, who said they belonged to the Second Florida Cavalry, in the service of the United States, were captured in an attempt to burn a railroad bridge. They were both recognized as deserters from the C. S. service. It was proved before a general court-martial, and they acknowledged that