may be permitted to furlough some of the men for a few days. Many of them have left their grain standing in the fields, to be lost unless they can finish their harvest. Please answer.

E. SALOMON,

Governor of Wisconsin.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., August 22, 1862.

Governor SALOMON,

Madison, Wis.:

Your Twentieth Regiment is wanted in the field immediately. Not an hour can be spared and no leave of absence can be granted. Please report the moment it is mustered in.

EDWIN M. STANTO,

Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., August 23, 1862.

Honorable ISRAEL WASHBURN, Jr.,

Governor of Maine:

SIR: Please inform this Department what preparations have been made in your State for the draft of militia, and whether you will be ready on the 3rd of September to carry it into effect.

C. P. BUCKINGHAM,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Same to other Governors of loyal States.)

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., August 23, 1862.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State:

SIR: I have the honor, by direction of the Secretary of War, to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 13th instant, inclosing the translation of a note from Viscount Treilhard, relative to the interchange of communications between the French legation here and the consulate of France at Richmond, and requesting a favorable attention thereto. In reply, the Secretary instructs me respectfully to state that on reference to the General-in-Chief he reports that he does no think it would be practicable or proper at the present time to exchange the mails as proposed.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

WASHINGTON, D. C., August 23, 1862.

Colonel ELLET,

Ram Fleet (via Cairo):

The Secretary of War authorizes you to enlist men for your fleet. If men so enlisted are now in the military service they will be dis