RICHLAND  JAIL,

Columbia, S. C., August 17, 1864.

Maj. Gen. SAM. JONES, Charleston, S. C.:

Enclosed herewith is an application to General Foster, commanding at Hilton Head, for the exchange of certain officers confined here, and I respectfully ask that it may be forwarded to him at as early a day as convenient. The officers respectfully request that in consideration of the great length of their imprisonment that you will place their names on the next list for exchange. If an exchange would be earlier affected by being removed to Charleston, we respectfully ask that it may be done. Within is a list of the officers, with date of capture, including three wounded officers, whom we would be glad to have exchanged with us.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours,

JOHN BEDEL,

Colonel Third New Hampshire Volunteers.

[Indorsement]

HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,

Charleston, August 21, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Major-General Foster for his information. I cannot at present conveniently comply with their request by bring- ing them to this city, but I will exchange them for a like number of C. S. officers, rank for rank, or their equivalents.

SAM. JONES,

Major- General, Commanding.

(List omitted.)

RICHLAND  JAIL,

Columbia, 5. C., August 17, 1864.

Major-General FOSTER,

Commanding Department of the South:

GENERAL: Having heard that there is a probability of another exchange of prisoners at Charleston the officers belonging to the Department of the South confined here and captured more than a year ago, have requested me to respectfully make application to you in their behalf. They are among the prisoners of oldest date within the Southern lines, and many of them are suffering greatly from long and painful captivity. If another exchange should take place in your department they earnestly request that their names may be placed upon the lists. Their names, with dates of capture, may be found within.*

Besides these 1 have added three officers in prison with us, severely wounded, but recently captured, in the hope that they, too, may be speedily exchanged. A similar application with list is enclosed herewith to Major-General Jones, Charleston. S. C.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully yours,

JOHN BEDEL, Colonel

Third New Hampshire Volunteers.

SOURCE: The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. ; Series 2 - Volume 7; pages 602-603.