Office Provost Marshal,
Fort McHenry, Jan. 8, 1864.

_Confidential._
Colonel Fish,
Provost Marshal, 8th Army Corps.

Dear Sir.--I am at last able to report that we have gotten
underway an underground correspondence between Trought and
Emmerich. At first the correspondence was unimportant (which
was, of course, policy for them), but now they have become
confidential. I, with some others, intend to enlist in the
Rebel service, but my plan is too long to explain here.

Now, Colonel, if you will drop a line to Colonel Porter,
asking him to allow me to organize a squad of reliable men,
say twelve or fifteen, and instruct them, whom we can call
upon at any time, we will guarantee to show some rich
developments inside of three weeks.

Emmerich is not alone but is connected with some of the
largest houses in Baltimore.

Trusting this will meet your approval, I am, Col.

Very resp'y,
H. B. SMITH,
Lt. and Asst. Pro. Mar.

This was officially approved first by Colonel Fish, and then by Colonel
Porter.

Office Provost Marshal,
Fort McHenry, Jan. 26, 1864.

Col. P. A. Porter,
Commanding 2d Separate Brigade,
Defences of Baltimore.

I respectfully beg leave to lay before you the following and
ask for authority to proceed further.

Four recruits for the Rebel Army are in Baltimore, also two
Rebel officers. I want authority to follow them and make the
arrest when about to cross the Potomac, thus implicating all
the parties connected in recruiting for the Rebel Army in and
about Baltimore. I have it so arranged that it will be
impossible for them to get away from me, if I am allowed to
proceed. And as I have some more operations in process of
development, I would respectfully ask to have the authority
extended to cover them also.

I could make some of these arrests in Baltimore, but as it is
perfectly safe, by allowing them to get a little further, it
would make the case a still more fatal one for the parties
concerned.

I am, Colonel, Very Resp'y,
Your Ob'd't Serv't,
H. B. SMITH,
Lt. and Asst. Pro. Mar.

The endorsement on the back of the above paper has always been a source
of gratification. No man from New York State was ever more highly
esteemed than Colonel Porter. He was talk