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James M. Perkins, of Caldwell County, Ky., was arrested by order of Brigadier-General Grant in Southern Illinois about the 1st of January, 1862; was delivered over to the custody of U. S. Marshal Phillips, of Illinois, January 16, 1862, and on the same day by order of the Secretary of State was conveyed to Fort Lafayette. January 16, 1862, General Grant telegraphed to the Secretary of State that the persons named (Perkins and others) are very dangerous men and ought to be permanently secured. On the same day U. S. Marshal Phillips wrote to the Secretary of State that Brady and Perkins are both rebel emissaries and desperate men. General Grant deemed it unsafe and unwise to keep them in charge near his army, and hence turned them over to me for your disposition. The said James M. Perkins remained in custody at Fort Lafayette February 15, 1862, when in conformity with the order of the War Department of the preceding day he was transferred to the charge of that Department.