been granted. I will try to leave for Washington on Tuesday next, but I am not sure I can accomplish it. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. General L. THOMAS: DETROIT, MICH., July 19, 1862. Fifty-five rebel surgeons have been discharged under General Orders, 'No. 60, viz: Chicago Joseph Sandek, Samuel H. Caldwell, Thomas J. Taliaferro, J. Maclin, Driver Delmas, F. Crowell, Matthew H. Oliver, Robert H. Redwood, Caleb Foxey, Elisha G. Greenleaf, Robert G. Rothrock, John F. Kennedy, Kelly Williams, John T. McDowell, Robert A. Felton, Thomas B. Elkin, William A. Martin, Michael J. Bolan, Samuel P. Johnson, James W. Dupree, Lewis Barber, Charles B. Parker. Order General Halleck, July 15, at Sandusky-James Allison, O. Becker, B. McCroxton, J. J. Dement, J. E. Dixon, H. Griffin, P. F. Gould, J. F. Grant, A. J. Gupton, J. M. Jackson, L. Lindsay, W. B. Mills, M. L. Neely, K. S. Napier, W. J. Owen, F. F. Pratt, W. J. Rodgers, W. R. Smith, F. R. Straube, E. T. Taliaferro, J. M. Taylor, W. V. Turner, A. H. Voorhies, C. H. Edwards, H. D. Wheatley, T. W. Nichols, mili tary prisoner. Alton, Ill., June 23-James P. Evans, John S. Frost, William D. Horton. At Camp Chase, June 27-M. M. Johnson, J. D. Johnson, Tomlin Braxton, Theophilus Steele, E. W. Harris, O. F. Knox. Drs. Lewis Barber and Charles B. Parker were released at Chicago by order of General Halleck. There were no reports from Camps Butler and Morton. They have been called for. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose herewith the petition of Dr. W. H. Newell, a prisoner of war. From the report of General Viele it appears that he was taken and has been held as a surgeon in the Confederate service, and in this view of his case I respectfully suggest that he is entitled to his discharge under General Orders, No. 60, paragraph IV, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. [Indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, July 24, 1862. Let Doctor Newell be unconditionally discharged under General Orders, No. 60, current series. By order of the Secretary of War: C. P. WOLCOTT, Assistant Secretary of War [Inclosure.] Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. BALTIMORE, June 27, 1862. DEAR SIR: Holding the position of surgeon in Confederate Army, attached to Major-General Longstreet's division, I was on special duty in the District of Norfolk prior to the evacuation of that district. I was wounded from a shell from one of the gun-boats of the Union forces at the bombardment of Sewell's Point and vicinity. At the evacuation it was impossible for me to be removed before the Union forces took possession, which placed me a prisoner within their lines. I have been released on my parole by General Viele and now write you concerning my release under the article of June 7, allowing as I understand an unconditional release of all surgeons. I am, sir, very respectfully, W. H. NEWELL, [Indorsement.] HEADQUARTERS, Norfolk, Va., July 10, 1862. Doctor Newell reported himself at these headquarters as a surgeon in the Confederate Army. There was no evidence of the fact excepting his own statement. He appeared to be actuated by a very nice sense of honor in reporting himself and was consequently released on his parole of honor not to serve until exchanged. EGBERT L. VIELE, Brigadier-General, Commanding. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Capt. H. W. FREEDLEY, Detroit, Mich., July 19, 1862. Asst. Com. Gen. of Prisoners, Camp Butler, Springfield, Ill. CAPTAIN: Your letter of July 15* asking for instructions in reference to rolls has been received. In reply I am directed by the commissarygeneral of prisoners to state that duplicate rolls of prisoners are required by him and the War Department and that you will please have them made out immediately and so forwarded to this office. Muster-rolls are not required. For further information concerning the rolls to be furnished and returns of prisoners required I am directed to refer you to paragraph 1 of the general regulations from this office. Whenever prisoners are received at the camp in any considerable numbers rolls will be immediately made out and forwarded to this office. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. M. LAZELLE, Capt., Eighth Infty., Assistant Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Capt. H. W. FREEDLEY, Third Infantry, U. S. Army, Springfield, Ill. CAPTAIN: I return you Major Fonda's return of prisoners of war for the month of June. It requires the aggregate last month and *Not found. † Omitted. explanations of the alterations. Please observe my letter of instructions of the 10th instant in this particular. Call Major Fonda's attention to the circular of regulations bearing on rolls and returns. I wish the rolls and returns to be made as complete as possible with a letter of full explanation. I believe that more have died and have escaped whose names are not thereon, and if there is reliable testimony of this fact I want it stated. Have this matter attended to immediately. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. Maj. T. A. SWITZLER, OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, Provost-Marshal-General Southwest District, Springfield, Mo. MAJOR: Your letter concerning the release of Benjamin F. Simmons, a prisoner at Indianapolis, is received. By a recent order of the War Department no more prisoners are at present to be released. I have no jurisdiction over the prisoners at Camp Morton, Indianapolis. Very respectfully, yours, BERNARD G. FARRAR, Provost-Marshal-General, District of Missouri. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, SPRINGFIELD, ILL., July 19, 1862. Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich. COLONEL: Your letter of the 13th instant has just been received. The fencing at Camp Butler is nearly completed. Affairs there are progressing satisfactorily. Your instructions are all being enforced as rigidly as the inexperienced troops forming the guard will permit. There has been a set of the muster-rolls of the prisoners made out, but upon examination I find it to be incorrect. There is another partly made out, but a set of blanks are required. Shall these rolls when completed be forwarded to you? With regard to the return for June I fear it will not be very correct as affairs were quite disorganized before my arrival and the prisoners had not been counted since Colonel Morrison had been relieved. The reports from the orderlies were received daily, but I found that they had connived at the escape of prisoners under their charge and had made incorrect reports. I would respectfully recommend the construction of a new guardhouse. The present one is nothing but a common frame building, from which the prisoners could easily escape if not closely watched by the guard. The prisoners and troops are now confined in the same prison, which for obvious reasons I think should not be permitted. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. FREEDLEY, Detroit, Mich., July 19, 1862. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Maj. W. S. PIERSON, Commanding Depot of Prisoners of War, Sandusky, Ohio. MAJOR: Your letter of July 16 with the accompanying applications of five prisoners of war for parole has been received. In reply I am directed by the commissary-general of prisoners to inform you that the statement of the surgeon of the post in attendance is required in such cases. This statement is to be one of medical facts in the case of each prisoner as to his claim to a parole and is to be accompanied by the official opinion of the medical officer in each case. The detailing by the prisoner of his case during the time that he has been in the surgeon's care is of no importance and can only be useless matter of incumbrance. On the applications will be indorsed your approval or disapproval of each. It is not to be construed from this communication that any favorable action will be taken in these particular cases. I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. M. LAZELLE, Capt., Eighth Infty., Assistant Commissary-General of Prisoners. · LACON, MARSHALL COUNTY, ILL., July 19, 1862. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. DEAR SIR: I beg leave to call your attention to the fact that 1,300 paroled prisoners taken at Shiloh are now held at Benton Barracks, Saint Louis, Mo., by the officer in command there against their will and compelled to do military duty in violation of their parole. Having two sons in that body of men-one of whom, John P. Winslow, was wounded and is in feeble health, having been in three engagements-I demand as a matter of justice to these brave fellows that some steps should be taken to prevent their further abuse. It is enough surely that Government is now in arrears of pay to many of them for over eight months, and that they have suffered almost unheard of hardships. They are now entitled to be paid off and to go on furlough until regularly exchanged. I think I know enough of your character to justify the expectation that as soon as your attention is called to this matter it will receive immediate correction. I learn from my son that all the men refused to violate their parole and were threatened with incarceration in the guard-house if they persisted in refusing. This ought not to be, and if the fact becomes public will do much to embarrass our operations in recruiting under the new call for additional troops. I have the honor to be, your sincere friend and obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Capt. GEORGE S. PEIRCE, Corinth, Miss., July 20, [1862.] Military Commander, Dubuque, Iowa. SIR: In reply to your telegram with reference to the discharge of paroled prisoners I have the honor to state that permanently disabled paroled prisoners will be discharged from the service on certificates of disability the same as other soldiers. By order of Major General Halleck: S. M. PRESTON, Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DIVISION OF CENTRAL MISSOURI, Jefferson City, Mo., July 20, 1862. No. 28. It is represented from various quarters that the bands of guerrillas and outlaws of all kinds infesting the country within the limits of this division are increasing and concentrating their forces for renewed depredations upon the peaceful and law-abiding citizens of the country and against the legitimate soldiery stationed throughout the same for the preservation of law and order. Believing that there is some foundation for these representations, the attention of officers commanding posts and scouts is called to the necessity of the utmost vigilance in collecting information concerning these lawless bands and to existing orders requiring that such lawless bands of guerrillas, when their existence is ascertained, be pursued and exterminated without mercy. By order of Brig. Gen. James Totten, commanding division: Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Detroit, Mich., July 20, 1862. Col. J. H. TUCKER, Commanding Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill. COLONEL: I yesterday called on you by telegram* for the number of prisoners escaped from Camp Douglas but as yet I have received no reply. I hope by to-morrow by telegraph to learn the number or that you cannot tell. For the greater security of the prisoners you will with as little delay as practicable change the position of the line of fence below the stables as was suggested when I was [at] Camp Douglas, and at the same time remodel all the fence, giving it sufficient height and stability with all the frame-work on the outside. A sentinel's walk will be constructed at convenient distances. Secure the top of the fence on the outside so that the sentinel may have a good view of all inside the fence near his post. The walk will not be required along the fence next to the street and it may not be necessary in rear of the quarters occupied by the regiment inside. It may be found necessary to make the walk continuous, but for the present we will try it with intervals of fifty to seventy-five feet. For making these changes use all the old lumber about the camp with as much of the old stables as may be necessary. Let it cost as little as possible. The calling of the prisoners' rolls must not be trusted to corporals or sergeants. They must be superintended by officers, as many as may be necessary detailed for the purpose permanently, or with temporary details of a week at a time, the whole superintended by a field officer who should make his morning report to you. Put this order in force immediately and see that it is rigidly enforced. The police of the prisoners' grounds and quarters must be inspected daily and reports made of it daily in writing. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Col. J. H. TUCKER, Commanding Camp Douglas, Ill. COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th instant with its inclosures, in which you desire instructions as to the disposition of five female prisoners at Camp Douglas. In *Not found. |