me to guard my working party (that were prisoners), one of them lay directly in front of me dead, one seriously, if not fatally, wounded. One of my prisoners was wounded, as was also the mate of the tug; consequently I surrendered. We were all placed in the hold of the barge, the hatches closed, and a guard placed over us.

Soon after the crew of a schooner, which was loaded with sutler's goods, and afterward burned, were put in with us. The captain of the tug, Lieutenant E. C. Dodge, Twentieth New York Cavalry, and myself were paroled. After Captain Smith, of the tug, and myself had been relieved of what money and valuables we possessed, the others not being subjected to a search, we soon after heard the Lizzie Freeman steam away, the engineer and two firemen having been retained aboard of her. Near morning I hailed General Graham and informed him of the facts. He immediately steered in the direction we supposed the Lizzie Freeman had been taken. We were taken off the barge by the steamer Matilda and brought to Norfolk, where we arrived about 12 m. of the 6th instant. I have no doubt that our assailants were connected with the regular Confederate service. The commander, after I surrendered, treated me very respectfully, and I think would not have countenanced the robbery had he known of it, although considerable bitterness was manifest toward the colored guard.

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

GEO. F. SAWTELL,

Captain and Superintendent of Prison Labor.

Lieutenant Colonel EDWARD W. SMITH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S. - Captain Nichols, of the Nineteenth Wisconsin, is now in command of the prisons here, and all is going on smoothly.

G. F. S.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS PROVOST-MARSHAL'S OFFICE,
Norfolk, Va., December 7, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded to Brigadier-General Shepley, commanding.

H. A. TATOR,

Captain and Assistant Provost-Marshal.

[Second indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EASTERN VIRGINIA,
Norfolk, Va., December 7, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded.

Captain Sawtell received no permission from me to go upon this expedition or to procure a tug from the quartermaster. Had he applied to me, as he should have done, I should have warned him against anchoring near Smithfield, as I was perfectly aware of the presence of a small Confederate force at that place. I respectfully ask if Captain Sawtell had permission from the major-general commanding the department to go upon this expedition, and to apply for a tug to the quartermaster? Captain Sawtell implies in this communication that he is off duty, because paroled. Allowing the parole to be binding, which I doubt, the discharge of his ordinary duties by Captain Sawtell would, in my opinion, be no violation of it.

G. F. SHEPLEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

61 R R - VOL XLII, PT I