Lieutenant-Colonel Lovell, Wisconsin; colonel Nigent, New York City; Lieutenant-Colonel Oakes, Illinois; Colonel Parrott, Ohio; Captain Saunders, Minnesota; Major Sidell, Kentucky; Major Townsend, New York.)

PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., August 27, 1863.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith copies of letters addressed by me to His Excellency Governor Seymour,* notifying him of the orders for draft in the different districts of New York as they were issued from this office. These letters of notifications to the Governor were forwarded to him on the same day the orders to make the draft were sent to the provost- marshals. The particular days on which the drawings were to take place in the different districts could not be designated at this office (except in one case, in New York, and of that day the Governor was duly notified). They necessarily depended on the state of preparation and the activity of the provost-marshals; but as soon as each provost-marshal could fix the day it was publicly announced in the newspapers, and thus became known to all.

The provost-marshals-general of the State, who have instructions to confer freely with the Governor, and who have taken the proper initiatory steps toward doing so, and with whom the Governor was requested to confer in matters relating to this Bureau, would at any time have informed the Governor of all particulars connected with the draft with which he was not acquainted if he had made known a desire for more specific information than was communicated.

In the case of new York City, where the day for resuming the drawing was fixed by this department, I notified the Governor, as will be seen by my letter of August 17, 1863 (copy herewith).

Exactly the same course has been pursued in notifying the Governors of other States in regard to the draft in their States, and, so far as I have heard, the information thus afforced, with such particulars as they procured through the provost-marshal- general of States, has proved sufficient and satisfactory.

In relation to giving credit on the draft for volunteers furnished, I see at present but one practicable rule, and that is now in use. It is to give credit to the States for all the volunteers she may have furnished up to the time of making up the quotas for draft, and having thus determined the credit of the State to apportion it among the districts according to their enrollment.

I hope to get at some future time information sufficiently accurate and definite to credit each Congressional district, and possibly each enrollment sub-district, with the number of volunteer it may furnish; that is to say, keep an account of volunteers, as well as drafted men, with these sections; but under the present draft it cannot be done. The Governor states: "New York has paid bounties to about 9,000 volunteers since the 1st of January last," and asks, "In what way are they to be credited to the State?" and gain says: "The city of New York has sent about 3,000 volunteers into the Army since the 1st day of January last. I think none of these have been credited to that city."

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* Not found or otherwise identified as inclosures, but see Fry to Seymour, preceding pages.

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