FEBRUARY 20, 1864.

Colonel LIVINGTON:

SIR: I send Captain Mankin, under flag of truce, with a watch belonging to Captain Castle, of the Eleventh Missouri Regiment, U. S. troops, now under your command. Captain Castle was mortally wounded in an encounter between your forces and those under my command yesterday, and thought he would die. He requested me to send his effects to his wife, who lives near Saint Joseph, Mo. His horse was to captured, but ran off or was killed in action. His watch and pencil-case were taken from him, the latter of which I have not succeeded in obtaining, but if I ever get it will send it to you, will confer a favor by forwarding it to his family.

Captain Castle captured my brother and treated him gentlemanly, and I feel under obligations to him. He requested me to inform his wife that he died as brave men only die. I captured 42 of your men, and would like to exchange all but those who are deserters from the C. S. Army, which I am ordered to retina and send to headquarters, which I will do. If you will exchange please inform me. I wish to exchange for my brother, James rutherford, who is a regular soldier of the C. S. Army, and if you have not sent him off you will confer an especial favor by retaining him. Your dead were left on the field unburied, as I had no tools to bury with. A burial party sent out under a flag of truce will not be molested.

Respectfully,

G. W. RUTHERFORD,

Captain, Commanding First Arkansas Cavalry.

P. S.-Since writing the above I have procured Captain Castle's pen and case, which will be handed you by Captain Mankin.

G. W. R.

HDQRS. DISTRICT OF NORTHEASTERN ARKANSAS, Batesville, Ark., February 20, 1864.

Captain G. W. RUTHERFORD,
Commanding First Arkansas Cavalry, C. S. Army:

SIR: Your communication of this date is received, and in reply to that part of it which refers to exchange of prisoners the colonel commanding directs me to say that he has now in confinement a large number of prisoners of war belonging to the C. S. Army, and he expects you will return him all the prisoners captured by your forces on the 19th instant, for which he is willing to give in exchange, according to the cartel, an equal number. No reservation of prisoners can be recognized. For those retained by you he will select, in such an event, prominent officers of the C. S. Army now here, and treat them precisely as the circumstances attending your treatment of any withheld U. S. soldier may direct.

Your brother is now at Little Rock, Ark. The are two of your men here, Carter and Lancaster, both wounded. The colonel commanding directs me to thank you for sending the watch and pencilcase of Captain Castle, Eleventh Missouri Cavalry, but desires me to state that $60 in U. S. currency was taken from him, which has not been returned. Captain Castle stated on his daring bed that he was shot after he surrendered and fell by one of your men, and that