he found that I had been on his track, he owned up, but
refused to implicate his friends.

I am, Captain,
Very respy. your obdt. servt.,
H. B. SMITH,
Lt. & Chief.

As General Wallace had said, it was our duty to ascertain by every
means, the status of all persons; our archives were crowded with
information, which materially helped us to avoid the dilemma General
Schenck described.

Headquarters, Middle Department,
8th Army Corps.
Baltimore, Dec. 7, 1864.

Capt. W. H. Wiegel,
Asst. Provost Marshal,
8th Army Corps.

Captain.--I have the honor to report the arrest of E. R. Rich,
of the 1st Md. Rebel Cavalry, on the charge of being a spy. He
came to this office to report and take the oath of allegiance,
but I think he did not come until he heard from his friend
Quinn, with whom he came to this city. I hand you herewith his
sworn statement, memoranda and pocket book, which show his
character.

You will also see an entry in his memoranda where Skinner
Quinn (now in prison) started for Baltimore last spring, which
corroborates Quinn's statement. You will also see that he
registered under several names.

The memorandum book shows that it was his intention to return
for good to Virginia.

Very respy. your obdt. servt,
H. B. SMITH,
Lt. & Chief.

Both Quinn and Rich were sentenced to be hanged, but their sentences
were finally commuted to imprisonment during the continuance of the
war.

FILE XXVII.

Statement of Illinois Crothers, giving valuable and reliable information,
implicating Mr. William Mitchell and a Mrs. Keenan, of Winchester,
Virginia--Report on Daniel W. Jones and Joseph Bratton--Am given unlimited
access to prisoners in Baltimore city jail.

Headquarters, Middle Department,
8th Army Corps.
Baltimore, Dec. 10, 1864.

Lt. Col. Woolley,
Provost Marshal.

Colonel.--I have the honor to hand you statement made by
Illinois Crothers, of 1st Md. Rebel Cavalry, who came to this
office to report.

I questioned him closely and on every point of importance, he
seemed very ignorant. He was in this city several days without
reporting, and to all appearances is as bitter a Rebel to-day
as ever.

I took from him a document marked "A," which shows that it was
generally known to the