Hon. Secretary STANTON. COLUMBUS, OHIO, August 1, 1862. DEAR SIR: Please allow me to make a statement to you of my capture as a prisoner and the conditions upon which I was released for the time being. On the 25th of June last I obtained leave of absence of General Grant for twenty days to go home and visit my family. My regiment was quartered twenty-eight miles from Memphis on the Charleston and Memphis Railroad. I went on the train as a passenger, the first train that started from Memphis to Corinth. When about sixteen miles from Memphis the rails had been removed from the track, throwing the locomotive down the bank, no person being hurt seriously. In about half an hour after the accident, or perhaps not so long, we were attacked by Colonel Jackson with 600 cavalry, surrounded and taken prisoners, about forty in all. At the time of the attack we had but six muskets, which were fired twice at them. I was taken about forty miles south near a town called Holly Springs. While there Colonel Jackson told me he had a relative, Col. Alexander J. Brown, of a Tennessee regiment, that was taken prisoner by our army at Island No. 10, that he thought was at Johnson's Island or Boston, and that if I would procure the exchange for Colonel Brown he would let me go and send me back. I was to have this done if possible in sixty days from the 13th of June. On my return to Memphis I reported the facts to Major-General Grant. He immediately wrote to the proper authorities on the subject of exchange. I have written him twice on the subject, but owing to attacks or firing into boats on the river I presume he has not received my letters. I thought the most prudent and most expeditious way was to write from here, as there seems to be a general order to report at Columbus all that are not on duty. I was at the surrender of Donelson and also at the battle of Pittsburg Landing. My regiment is now at Helena, Ark., Third Brigade and Third Division, General Wallace commanding. I have never been from my regiment for one day since we left Ohio until I was taken prisoner. I am very anxious to be with them before they proceed to Little Rock, Ark. I hope you will give me the necessary order for the exchange, for under my promise I will be compelled to surrender myself and be shut up in some Southern prison, there to lie and rot. I have been in the service about eight months. I have written to E. Jordan, esq., Solicitor of the Treasury, who is from our town and is acquainted with me. He will call on you. I will remain here until I hear from you. Very respectfully, P. KINNEY, Colonel, Comdg. Fifty-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Hon. E. M. STANTON, Detroit, Mich., August 1, 1862. Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith a report of Colonel Tucker, commanding Camp Douglas, in relation to the escape of prisoners from that camp. The alterations in the fence which I ordered while waiting for authority from Washington will go far toward preventing such frequent Omitted here; see Tucker to Hoffman, July 24, p. 278. escapes, but while there are so many sympathizers outside to influence and bribe sentinels escapes will continue to be made. The charges which I sent in May 20 against Lieutenant Higgins, Twenty-third Illinois Regiment, for aiding or attempting to aid prisoners to escape have not been noticed, and the exemption from punishment in his case may have induced others to have had less fear of following his example than they would otherwise have felt. I inclose also the report* from Captain Freedley, my assistant, in relation to the state of things at Camp Butler, Springfield, Ill., to which I beg attention as showing the difficulty of preparing rolls of the prisoners there confined. Until recently Col. P. Morrison, of the Regular Army, my senior, was in command there. No rolls were sent with the prisoners to the camp and it appears that in giving an account of themselves they would at one time say one thing and at another they would contradict it. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. General M. C. MEIGS, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th ultimo. From the last paragraph I judge that erroneous impressions are entertained as to what labor is required of prisoners of war and what they are willing to do. I beg leave to call attention to my letters of the 10th ultimo to which yours is a reply in which I clearly state that the work is to be done by the prisoners, and I believe that they have not at any time refused to work even in cases of doubtful propriety, such as putting up fences that we may hold them with greater security. My great desire has been to be governed by the strictest economy in all cases, and no work will be hired that can properly be done by the prisoners themselves. 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, Chicago. Four physicians with four attendants should be ample to attend to 275 sick, and I could not consent to increase the number even if there was not a prospect of an immediate exchange of prisoners. The presence of scurvy among men where there is an abundance of vegetables and antiscorbutics is a novel state of things to me, and I fear grows out of a want of attention somewhere, but as I cannot speak advisedly on the subject I will only say that I wish you to give your personal attention to the matter. Doctor McVickar speaks of the unwholesome condition of the police of the camp and you approved his report. There is no excuse for this as I have given positive and specific orders in relation to this matter. All the necessary means have been provided and if the camp is not in a good state of police it must be owing to great neglect. I will not go into details again but simply say that the camp must be put in a thorough state of police every day by the work of the prisoners themselves. Of course the quarters must be well aired and policed by removing all bedding and clothing from them once a week and there must be a free use of lime everywhere to neutralize all impurities. There can be no excuse for non-compliance with this order. Under the order of General Halleck you will release J. D. Drake and W. F. Hail, prisoners of war, on their taking the oath of allegiance. On the recommendation of Surgeon McVickar you will parole Thomas Coulter, Company D, Forty-ninth Tennessee, for thirty days to the city of Chicago, he fixing a place at which he may be found at any time. he may be wanted. Hereafter, including last month's, the accounts of private physicians approved by you will be referred to the Surgeon-General at Washington for payment. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Col. C. W. B. ALLISON, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Col. D. G. ROSE, Commanding Camp Morton, Indianapolis, Ind. COLONEL: There are a number of prisoners of war confined in the jail of Indianapolis at a large expense to the Government. This should not be and you will immediately take back to the camp all so confined except in cases where it is absolutely necessary from peculiar circumstances that they should remain in the jail and you will immediately The The report such cases to me. Subscriptions to newspapers is not a proper charge against the prisoners' fund under the regulations and bills contracted for such purposes must be paid by some other means. responsibility for improper expenditures will rest with you. accounts of private physicians will hereafter, including July, approved by you, be referred to the Surgeon-General of the Army for payment. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Maj. J. DARR, Jr., Provost-Marshal, Wheeling, Va. It MAJOR: Your letters of the 21st and 24th have been received. is not contemplated at present to erect additional barracks for prisoners of war at Wheeling. It will give me pleasure to unite with Governor Peirpoint in the endeavor to have you retained at Wheeling as provost-marshal. In referring petitions of prisoners to this office please let it clearly appear whether they are civil or military prisoners. It will not be con venient to have you furnished with the disposition made of prisoners sent to Camp Chase or elsewhere from your depot. Those who wish information must write to the camp to which prisoners are sent. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Capt. J. A. POTTER, Assistant Quartermaster, U. S. Army, Chicago, Ill. CAPTAIN: On reflection I think it was scarcely proper for me to give you an order in relation to the removal of prisoners of war from Prairie du Chien to Madison. It was done under instructions from some other authority without my knowledge and it is not therefore right that I should give one to cover it. You received some orders in relation to the movement, and that, whatever it was, will complete your vouchers. Even your own certificate will be sufficient, as the necessity of the case is perfectly approved. I must request, then, you will not use my order. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. SAINT LOUIS, August 1, 1862. Lieut. A. ARNOLD, Provost-Marshal, Ironton, Mo. LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of July 31 and to say in reply thereto: Prisoners taken in arms against the United States who are regularly in the service of the so-called Confederates are prisoners of war subject to exchange. Those in arms not regularly in the said service are guerrillas to be held for trial by a military commission. You will forward all prisoners of the first class hereto, with statement of company, regiment, State, rank, when and where taken. The last class will be sent hereto with charges and specifications of the various acts and the same statement as that which should accompany the first class. * I am, lieutenant, very respectfully, [H. L. McCONNEL,] Assistant Provost-Marshal-General. FORT DELAWARE, August 1, 1862. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. SIR: I have been impelled by the conduct of Lieutenant Wood at Fort Lafayette to address the following letter to Capt. A. A. Gibson under date 30th ultimo: SIR: I do not desire to trouble you about our vexed pecuniary affairs further than my sense of right and justice impels me. Will you please state below that you received no gold from Lieutenant Wood, of Fort Lafayette, for me? Yours, respectfully, To this note the captain sent the following answer: B. W. SANDERS. FORT DELAWARE, July 30, 1862. The account rendered for money in trust for Mr. B. W. Sanders makes no specification of its kind except that it was "good money," nor have I gold sufficient to pay it in coin. A. A. GIBSON, Captain, Second Artillery. In making the above statement I desire to call your attention to the fact that when I was imprisoned in Fort Lafayette I delivered up my portemonnaie upon the desire of Lieutenant Wood. He asked me how much money it contained. I replied, $77; $70 in gold, $5 in a Pennsylvania bank note and the rest in change. He did not open the purse before me, but placed that, with my watch, upon the table and ordered the sergeant to conduct us to our quarters. I asked him for a receipt. He replied that it was not necessary to give one. This conversation occurred in the presence of the lieutenant who carried us over from Fort Hamilton on the 10th or 11th of July. The next day all the prisoners were transferred to this post together with a list of their deposits. I was mentioned as having $66.94 in "good money," as stated by Captain Gibson. On delivering up our funds to-day Captain Gibson paid me off in bank bills, mostly on the city of Delaware. I desire to know by what authority Lieutenant Wood substituted paper money in lieu of gold, particularly when it was worth in New York 17 to 18 per cent. and from 75 to 100 per cent. in the South, and I feel sure he has acted in violation of his duties. He had no right to touch my money as I gave no order on him whilst under his charge, yet the amount falls short by $10, and the residue is returned in "good money." I had several strange coins that I had collected in Europe and the West Indies and though not of much value yet greatly prized by me. I can prove that all of my money was in gold by the officers on board the Princeton, and particularly the steward or by Acting Master Rogers, of the Bienville, who was prize officer on board the Morning Star. |