it held an armed garrison, who
drilled and paraded every day, with all the "pomp and circumstance" of
war, to the patriotic tune of "John Brown's body lies a-moulding in the
grave, but his spirit is marching on;" and it was crowded with southern
prisoners of war.

For a few days, in pursuance of Commodore Porter's policy, we were
closely confined; but all exceptional restrictions were then removed and
we fell into the monotonous routine of prison life. The following
correspondence took place previous to the removal of the restrictions,
and explains the reason of their withdrawal.

FORT WARREN, Boston Harbor, May 25, 1862.

Sir,--I was much surprised last evening on being informed by
Colonel Dimmick that Lieutenants Wilkinson, Warly, Ward, Whittle
and Harris, together with myself, have been, by your order, denied
the "privileges and courtesies that are extended to other
prisoners," on the ground that the act of burning the Confederate
States Battery "Louisiana," late under my command, was held by the
United States Navy Department as "infamous." In my letter to the
Department, dated on board of the United States Steamer Rhode
Island, Key West, May 14th, 1862, and forwarded through Commander
Trenchard on the arrival of that vessel in Hampton Roads, together
with a copy of my letter to Flag officer Farragut, and his reply
thereto, I felt assured that all the facts connected with the
destruction of the Louisiana were placed in such a light as not to
be mistaken, nor my motives misconstrued. To render the affair
still more clear I enclose herewith a memorandum of W. C. Whittle
Jr., Confederate States Navy, who was the bearer of my message to
Commodore Porter respecting my fears that the magazine of the
Louisiana had not been effectually drowned. With all these
statements forwarded by me to the United States Navy Department I
am perfectly willing to rest the case with impartial and
unprejudiced minds, as well as with my own Government, satisfied
that nothing has been done by the foregoing officers, nor myself,
militating at all against the strictest rules of military honor and
usage.

Though I will not affect an indifference to the personal annoyance
to us by the action of the United States Navy Department in our
case as prisoners of war, yet my chief solicitu