WASHINGTON, D. C., Septembe 6, 1865.

Major-General MILES, Commanding at Fort Monroe:

I have just seen your dispatch to the Secretary of War, in which you say you judge the matter of removal of telegraph office has been misrepresented. The only representation of it other than that contained in your dispatch is the following.*

By a special order of the War Department it is the duty of any operator in charge of a military telegraph office to inform me of any charge to be made in his office, as you will perceive by General Townsend's dispatch of this morning. I make this explanation in justice to Mr. Sheldon and his operations.

Very respectfully,

THOS. T. ECKERT,

Superintendent Military Telegraph.

CONFIDENTIAL.] WAR DEPT., ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

] Washington, September 7, 1865.

MAJOR-GENERAL Commanding MIL. DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI:

GENERAL: The President of the United States directs that the sentences in the cases of the persons below named be executed whenever they can be arrested, and that commanding generals be instructed to secure their persons if possible.:

1. Frank B. Gurley, alias Captain Frank B. Gurley, of the so-called Confederate service, the murderer of Brigadier General Robert L. McCook.

Gurley was tried before a military commission which convened at Nashville, Tenn., December 2, 1863, and sentenced to be hanged by the neck until the is dead, at such time and place as the general commanding may order, two-thirds of the members of the commission concurring in said sentence.

2. James R. Mallory, alias Captain James R. Mallory, of the so-called Confederate service, a murderer.

Mallory war tried before a military commission which convened at Nashville, Tenn., February 26, 1864, and sentenced to be hung by the neck until he is dead, at such time and place as the general commanding may direct, two-thirds of the members of the commission concurring in this sentence.

3. Thomas W. Elliott, alias Private Thomas W. Elliott, of the so-called Confederate service, a murderer.

Elliott war tried before a military commission which convened at Nashville, Tenn., in pursuance of orders from headquarters Department of the Cumberland, dated January 28, 1864, and sentenced to the hung by the neck until he is dead, at such time and place as the general commanding may direct, two-thirds of the members of the commission concurring in said sentence.

Commanding generals willuse all proper means to secure the arrest of these persons, and if they, or either of them, are arrested, will immediately report the fact by telegraph to the Adjutant-General.

By command of the President of the United States:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Same to Major-Generals Meade, Thomas, Pope, Gillmore, and others.)

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* See Sheldon to Eckert, September 5, p. 741.

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