Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-02-19
FRo,r wAsuINcToN

Washington, Feb, l5.-The Navy Depart
ment has received the following:
New Port News, Feb. a.
To Hon. Gideon Welles:-The Pequot has
arrived, and brings the report of the destruction
of four blockade runners viz: the Nutfeld, on
the 4th Of Feb, by the Sassacus; the Dee, Feb.
5th, by the Cambridge; the Emily and the Fam
ny and Jenny on the 10th, by the Florida.
[Sgned] ST.
Acting Rear Admiral
The Nutfield is an iron paddle wheel steamer,
of 400 tons, new fine and powerful boat She
sailed from London in December last with pork,
biscuit, DC. The Dee is a double screw iron
steamer, built especially for the Southern trade
at Loudon. She is a new vessel of light draft
and is said to have made eighteen or twenty
miles an hour. The Fanny and Jenny is the
old prize Scotia, captured in October, 1862 con-
demned and sold to outside parties. Not being
considered fit for Naval service, her name was
changed to General Banks. She was taken to
Halifax, and sailed from there in July, 1862, to
engage in blockade running under the name Of
Fanny and Jenny. The Emily is new screw
steamer, built in Loudon last Fall, and owned
by Bigbie She is a handsome boat of about
500 tons.
The Tribunes dispatch has the following:
The correspondence between the authorities
of the United States and the rebel authorities on
the exchange OF prisOHerS, Oc, SuDInlbleo 10 the
Senate, has Just been published We copy the
letter of General Butler defining the position of
the Government and himself, as follows: -
Fortress Monroe, Jan. l2.-Sir: Your note
addressed to Major General Hitchcock in rela-
ton to an appointment by the Government of
the U. S. of Commissioner of Exchange, is re-
turned. This Government claims and exercises
the power of appointing its own agents to rep
resent its interests, irrespective ofany supposed
sanction by the Confederate authorities. No
right of declaration of outlawry by those author
tiles of any officer soldier of the United States
can be admitted or for moment regarded by the
Government of the United States, as it certainly
will not be by the persons upon whom such in
Limitations are attempted. / am instructed to
renew the offer, leaving all other questions in
abeyance, to exchange man for man and officer
for officer of equal rank actually in custody by
either party, until all prisoners of war so held
are thus exchanged. / take leave to express
the hope, from humane considerations to those
held as prisoners of on either side, that this
offer will be accepted. / am further instructed
to inform you that unless the flag of truce sent
forward under the sanction of the commanding
General of this Department is recognized and
respected by your authorities, all further COM
munication between this Government and the
Confederate authorities by flag of truce must
cease. However much the loss of its ameliorat-
ing influences upon the rIgors of what ought to
be a civilized warfare is to be regretted, the re-
sponsibility of such a determination must be
left with those whom you represent. have
the honor TO be, respectfully, your Obedient SER
want, B. BUTLER, Maj. Gen.
aud Commissioner of Exchange.
ROBERT OULD, Commissioner of Exchange,
Richmond