E. D. Townsend, January 21, 1865
SIR:
In compliance with your instructions I have the honor to submit herewith copies of communications in reference to the exchange of prisoners of war, called for by resolution of the House of Representatives, dated December 21, 1864.+
The copies embrace correspondence between Lieutenant-General Grant, General-in-Chief; Major-General Butler, commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina; Major-General Halleck, chief of staff; Major-General Hitchcock, commissioner, and Lieutenant-Colonel Ludlow, agent for exchange of prisoners, with General R. E. Lee, and Mr. Robert Ould, the commissioner of the rebel government; between Major-General Banks, commanding Department of the Gulf, and the rebel Generals R. Taylor and Green, in Louisiana; between Major-General Foster, commanding Department of the South, and the rebel General S. Jones, at Charleston; also communications on the subject of exchanges, with Major-Generals Canby, at New Orleans, Buell and Burbridge, in Kentucky, Curtis, in Missouri, Rosecrans, in Tennessee, Schenck, at Baltimore, and William T. Sherman, at Atlanta.
The correspondence extends over a period of time from June, 1862.
with great respect, your most obedient servant,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
*See Vol. VII, this series, p. 1198.
tThe papers submitted herewith, and which appear in chronological order in this
The documents, as herein printed, are true copies of the originals (or official copies
thereof) on file in the War Department, and are published irrespective of their publication in Executive Document No, 32, House of Representatives, Thirty-eighth
Congress, second session. os List of documents accompanying the foregoing letter.