orth but he would not and she was compelled to
accompany him. She came to this country about six months
since.

I could not get permission from Commodore Parker to enter
Virginia on account of the raid then being carried on, but he
said under any other circumstances he would give permission
and let a gunboat accompany me.

Hoping that my action in these matters will meet with your
approval,

I am, Colonel,
Very respy. your obdt. servt.,
H. B. SMITH,
Lt. and Chief.

Office Provost Marshal,
Baltimore, June 24, 1864.

Col. Woolley,
Provost Marshal.

Colonel.--I have the honor to make the following report in the
case of J. B. McWilliams of Charles County, Md., whom I
arrested and brought to this prison.

While anchored in the Wicomico river on the trip down on the
schooner "W. H. Travers," W. H. Seward and myself took a small
yawl which we had captured from Wm. H. Hayden in attempting to
go South, and rowed up the Potomac river as far as Cobb creek.
We were hailed by McWilliams as we neared the shore at this
point, he saying, "I used to own that boat," asked us where we
were from. I refused to answer, but he said, "I am all right,
you need not fear me." We landed and went up into the bushes.
He advised us to remove the mufflers from the oars as they
could be seen from the gunboats and they would know
immediately that we were from Virginia. He informed us where
the soldiers were posted and how to avoid them, and advised us
to leave our boat on his shore as it was known and would not
be suspected, informed us of Grant's move on Fort Darling,
&c.; called our attention to an article in the Baltimore
Gazette which he said "done him good," and would do any
Southerner good.

He said he wanted to send some copies to Virginia as he knew
they would be so highly appreciated; wanted to write by us to
his son who was in the Confederate army; said he traded yawl
boat with Hayden about one week previous, when Hayden was on
his way to Virginia with two men, one of them a Doctor; said
he talked with these two men nearly all one day, and sent a
letter to his son by Hayden. He had sent his son a large
revolver and wanted to sell me a double barrelled gun to take
back with me to Virginia; said he had