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OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,
Detroit, Mich., July 15, 1862.

General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

GENERAL: Frequent inquiries are made by prisoners of war and their friends whether in case of a general exchange all will be compelled to accept of the exchange and go South whether they wish to do so or not. There are many among them who live in Southern States who wish to be released on parole so that they may not again be forced into the ranks. Others wish to remain at the North and enter our service. Can these be singled out and released on taking the oath of allegiance? Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,
Detroit, Mich., July 15, 1862.

General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: Rolls of prisoners of war have been called for by the War Department and from your office. I presume that one set is all that will be required and will furnish them with as little delay as possible. There has been much remissness in furnishing rolls with prison ers taken and in preserving them, and it will scarcely be possible to make out reliable rolls from the meager papers at the prison camp. Camp Douglas it appears that a number of the prisoners enlisted in Colonel Mulligan's regiment, the Twenty-third Illinois, and Colonel Cameron's regiment, the Sixty-fifth Illinois. When the rolls are completed I will be able to give the particulars.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

At

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,
Detroit, Mich., July 15, 1862.

Col. J. H. TUCKER, Commanding Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill.
COLONEL: Your several letters of the 10th, 12th and 13th have been
received. Your action in the case of Chaplain Warren is approved.
The parole of T. C. Depeyster will be revoked. Don't permit the news-
paper articles to give you any concern. If you think it worth while
you may state that the occurrence which gave rise to the declaration
of martial law took place while Colonel Mulligan was in command;
that the authority was asked for at that time and that the declaration
would have been made if he had remained there.

The rebel letter must have been smuggled out of the camp, as both the matter and length of it are in violation of the rules of prisoners' correspondence, if it was written by a prisoner, which I doubt very much. Possibly and probably it was made up by the excluded reporter, but I doubt if the publication of it can be made a political offense.

The commanding officer is the proper person to decide what are loyal papers. Newspapers cannot be received by prisoners by mail without

their being opened and examined and that would cause too much labor to clerks in charge of the post-office. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,
Detroit, Mich., July 15, 1862.

Capt. J. HANDY, Prisoner of War, Sandusky, Ohio.
SIR: Your letter of the 7th* is received. It appears by the papers
accompanying your letter that you have served as a medical officer by
authority of the medical director, but it appears also that you were a
captain in the line, and as the medical director is a subordinate your
services in his department must be looked on as only temporary and
you were liable at any time to be recalled to your appropriate duties.
Under this view of the case I do not feel at liberty to class you with
medical officers. Other cases similar to yours have been laid before
the Secretary of War and if the decision is favorable to you I will
inform you. Your order is herewith returned.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary General of Prisoners.

FORT WARREN, Boston Harbor, July 15, 1862.

Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

COLONEL: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th asking for a list of prisoners of war taken by the Army of the Potomac on the Peninsula. On the 10th instant I forwarded to you a list of 100 prisoners of war (received at this post on the 9th) with such information as I received with them from Fort Columbus, New York Harbor. I have no official information as to the time or place of their capture. It embraces all that I have not before reported.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. DIMICK,

Colonel First Artillery and Brevet Colonel, Commanding Post.

OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL GENERAL,
Saint Louis, July 15, 1862.

Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

SIR: I have the honor herewith to transmit duplicate copies* of roll of prisoners of war confined in Gratiot Street Prison in this city up to July 10, 1862. A consolidated return of all prisoners of war confined in the various hospitals and stations in this district will be forwarded as soon as the reports are all in.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

* Omitted.

BERNARD G. FARRAR.

Hon. E. M. STANTON:

INDIANAPOLIS, July 15, 1862.

Fifty prisoners escaped last night from Camp Morton. Several have been killed and wounded. A number recaptured. We are scouring the country and hope to overtake others.

JAS. A. EKIN.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, July 16, 1862.

Major-General WOOL:

The following dispatch has just been received from the operator at Dover:

L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General:

FORT DELAWARE, July 16, 1862.

Nineteen prisoners escaped last night. Particulars by mail. My men are on guard every other day. It is impossible to prevent escapes without a larger force. I ask for re-enforcements immediately.

A. A. GIBSON, Captain, Commanding.

You will please take immediate measures for the security of the prisoners at Fort Delaware and for the recapture of those who have escaped and investigate and report the numbers and circumstances under which the escape has taken place.

Major-General DIX:

EDWIN M. STANTON.

WASHINGTON, July 16, 1862.

You will please procure all the information you can respecting the names and condition of our prisoners held by the rebels and make report to this Department after your interview with General Hill.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, July 16, 1862.

Maj. Gen. J. E. WOOL, Baltimore, Md. :
There are at Fort Delaware upward of 3,000 prisoners and it is
reported that some escaped last [night]. The Secretary of War directs
that additional troops be sent to that post and also that a steam
guard-boat be provided.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, July 16, 1862.

Maj. Gen. J. E. WOOL, Baltimore, Md.:

Colonel Tompkins at New York has been directed to send a guard

boat to Fort Delaware.

15 R R-SERIES II, VOL IV

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General,

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, July 16, 1862.

Capt. A. A. GIBSON, Commanding Fort Delaware:

Report immediately whole number of prisoners escaped from Fort Delaware and in what manner they left the island.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, July 16, 1862.

Capt. A. A. GIBSON, Commanding Fort Delaware:

When at Fort Delaware I did not understand that you regarded additional troops as necessary to prevent the escape of prisoners or I would have taken measures to have sent them. To my question whether a guard-boat was not necessary you replied no; you had perfect control over the island. General Wool has been directed to send an additional force to Fort Delaware and a guard-boat will be sent from New York. You must allow no intercourse whatever with the prisoners and keep citizens from landing on the island except those in the employment of the Government, and these must not have any intercourse with the prisoners. If boats came to the island and took the prisoners off your sentinels could not have done their duty.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

FORT DELAWARE, DEL., July 16, 1862.

General LORENZO THOMAS,
Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.

GENERAL: I sent a telegraph to you this morning announcing the escape of nineteen prisoners of war and asking for additional troops, the guards being now as heavy as physical endurance will permit. Last evening the officer of the day suspected that certain prisoners were plotting to escape and took extra precautions to prevent it. Until midnight the weather was stormy and the darkness unusual. The escape was effected by timbers with which a privy was being constructed on the shore about 400 yards from the quarters by those who made the attempt. The bank at that place is covered with a thick growth of reeds. A partially constructed raft was found this morning which the party undoubtedly were prevented from completing by the patrols. The officers of the post cannot be more vigilant and I hardly think another prisoner will be able to escape. I have exhausted my ingenuity in making the custody of the prisoners complete, but the area to be guarded is too great for the present force.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. A. GIBSON,

Captain, Second Artillery, Commanding.

Since writing the foregoing I have received a telegraph from the Adjutant-General requiring more particulars which have been rendered. By no inquiry can I discover that the sentries were not vigilant. They were posted in the quarters and on the inside and outside of the prisoners' parade around the building. The ventilators give free opportunity to get out from every tier of bunks.

A. A. G.

WILMINGTON, DEL., July 16, 1862.

Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

Prisoners escaped last night from Fort Delaware and were assisted by men in New Castle. Traitors from New Castle visited the fort a few days since. All may escape if more troops are not sent; it is said 3,500 prisoners and only two [companies] of soldiers. Traitors can carry boats over in five minutes from Delaware City.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President:

*

A. H. GRIMSHAW.

BERKELEY, VA., July 16, 1862.

Generals Dix and Hill are to meet on Thursday at Haxall's to arrange general exchange of prisoners. I hope to see Burnside to-day and arrange with him. Will telegraph you fully when I have conferred with him. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 16, 1862.

General R. E. LEE, Commanding Army of Northern Virginia.

GENERAL: I have the honor to send you herewith a list of prisoners taken by the troops under my command from the 26th ultimo to the 2d instant inclusive. I would respectfully request that you will furnish me as soon as convenient with a corresponding list of the prisoners taken from my command now in your hands.

Its publication would tend to relieve much anxiety on the part of the relatives and friends of the parties.

Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON:

[GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,] Major-General, Commanding.

FORT MONROE, July 16, 1862.

General Stevens doubts whether General Hunter will have transportation enough for General Wright's division unless the Mississippi returns to Port Royal. It will take her a week. The Vanderbilt should go to New York to refit. It will also take her a week. Neither can go up the James River, as they draw too much water. I am summoned to General McClellan's headquarters to-morrow morning. He has arranged for me to meet General D. H. Hill, of the Confederate Army, on Thursday on the subject of exchanges. I have received the papers by Major Breck and shall wait for the residue to-morrow morning. I suppose the privateersmen are not to be distinguished from other prisoners we have to be exchanged on the principle of the cartel of 1812.

JOHN A. DIX,
Major-General.

WASHINGTON, July 16, 1862.

Major-General DIX:

Do with the transports whatever you think best. The privateersmen are to be exchanged as other prisoners of war, no distinction being made. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

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