Sixth. The draft for three-years" service to go on in the State or district where the quota is not filled up; but it any soldier or officer in this special service should be drafted, he shall be credited for the service rendered.

I am, sir, &c.,

JAS. B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

NASHVILLE, TENN., June 19, 1864.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Big Shanty, via Chattanooga:

On recently leaving Washington to organize colored troops in Kentucky the Secretary of War directed me to proceed to Chattanooga and put myself in communication with you, and to express his strong desire that you would afford facilities for organization within your command. I request that you will send the negroes who may come into or be gathered in by your forces to this place, where they can the more readily be organized and provided for. If you desire to form regiments with your army do so, and send me the roster of the officers for appointment. I have seen your recent order respecting the enlistment of negroes, the practical working of which, it seems to me, will stop almost altogether recruiting with your army. I know not under what circumstances it was issued, but the imprisonment of officers for disobedience seems to me a harsh measure.

Would it not be better to organize the negroes and from them make the necessary detail for the staff departments?

Of course I do not wish to deprive you of any negroes you may require for service with your army. I have sent a copy of the order to the Secretary of War.

I shall leave this evenign for Chattanooga, where I shall be glad to hear from you.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

FRANKFORT, June 20, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: Colonel Hodges, who was intrusted with a letter from myself to you, written as he was about starting to the Baltimore convention, informs me that you construe its import to menace the Government, &c. Not being able to constrain any such meaning from the letter, and never having conceived a thought hostile to my Government--being incapable of holding a thought or sentiment which can be tortured into hostility to the Government-I deem it due to myself to be so explicit in reference to the subject of that letter that the commonest understanding cannot misconstrue my purpose. When at Washington in March I, together with the gentlemen with me, in our interview with the President and yourself, understood that when the quota of Kentucky should be filled by volunteers or otherwise that recruiting of slaves would cease in the State. We also understood that the offensive recruiting carried on by Cunningham and others was without authority or approval from the War Department, and to prevent such offensive courses, and confine the recruiting of negroes within