but once. The letters were registered at the post-office and all were received. Please inquire into this. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Maj. JOSEPH DARR, Jr., Provost-Marshal-General, Wheeling, Va. MAJOR: An exchange of prisoners of war is expected to take place immediately, and for this purpose I wish you to have prepared immediately rolls of all military prisoners held in the Middle Department, including those on parole. Make out a roll of those belonging to no military organizations, though taken in arms. Whenever petitions for release or parole are presented please let it appear distinctly whether the person is a soldier or citizen or only partly military. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Maj. W. S. PIERSON, Detroit, Mich., August 4, 1862. Commanding Depot of Prisoners of War, Sandusky, Ohio. MAJOR: Please say to Mr. Carter, a prisoner of war, that his petition to be released has been referred to the War Department. It has been announced in the newspapers that a number of prisoners of war who were confined at Fort Delaware were released on their taking the oath of allegiance just as they were preparing to embark for James River to be exchanged. If that policy is carried out when other exchanges are made there are doubtless many at the depot who would be permitted to remain at the North on the same terms. I have not yet received any instructions in relation to the exchange and do not know when or how it will take place. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Capt. G. S. WORMER, Commanding Fort Mackinac, Mackinac, Mich. CAPTAIN: From what I hear from persons who have visited Mackinac I am led to believe that my instructions in relation to the care of prisoners under your charge are neglected or willfully disobeyed. I hope this is not the case. I must call your attention to my instructions of the 24th and 26th of May and I require you to be governed by them strictly. I give you no discretion to deviate from them. If there should be occasion to do so] it should be referred to me. They are permitted to walk outside [the fort] not more than three days a week, and this on the certificate of the surgeon that it is necessary for their health. During the walk they are to have communication with nobody and of course they will not be permitted to go to any part of the island where people are living. I left the selection of the ground to you, but to save doubt on the subject I will limit the walk as follows: They will not pass below the brow of the hill or table-land, nor pass beyond a line running from the fort to the old fort and through to the natural bridge. By my letter of the 24th June they are permitted to speak with certain members of the family while out walking, under certain restrictions. Any violations of these instructions will not fail to be noticed. If any citizens are detected in any effort to hold communications with those prisoners in violations of your orders, put them in confinement and report the facts to me. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. HEADQUARTERS, Camp Douglas, Chicago, August 4, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich. COLONEL: I inclose you a copy of a letter which I addressed to-day to the Secretary of War. I felt called upon to perform a very painful and embarrassing duty and reported my conduct and the reasons therefor to the highest authority at once in order to receive final instructions with the least loss of time. The case does not appear to be embraced in any orders received in regard to supervision of prisoners of war. I hope the course I have pursued will meet with your approval. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, [Inclosure.] JOSEPH H. TUCKER, HEADQUARTERS, Camp Douglas, Chicago, August 4, 1862. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. SIR: I have the honor to report that I telegraphed you to-day as follows, viz: I have just arrested Dr. L. D. Boone, a prominent citizen of Chicago, for furnishing a prisoner with money contrary to the regulations of camp. The prisoner subsequently escaped by bribing a sentinel as I bave reason to believe. May I parole him? Doctor Boone has been for some time chairman of a committee who have received considerable sums from the South for prisoners of war in this camp and he has also received individually money from the same source and for the same purpose. Under the administration of my predecessor the doctor had unrestrained access to the camp and unrestrained intercourse with the prisoners. It is ascertained beyond any doubt that considerable sums of money have been given to prisoners contrary to the regulations of the camp. I have now in confinement a prisoner named W. H. Warren, claiming to be a chaplain, who was on parole until recently and who has been a medium for the distribution of much of this money, though he refuses to give the names of the persons from whom he received it. On the night of the 23d of July several prisoners escaped by means of a hole dug under the fence, evidently by collusion with the sentinel, who deserted at the same time leaving his musket and equipments on his beat. Those of this number who have been recaptured admit that the sentinel received $15. Among them a prisoner named E. H. Green, Cumberland Artillery, brought in to-day, states that he received money from Doctor Boone, at one time $20 and at another $30. Doctor Boone admits having given the $20 to Green, and regarding the $30 says that he left it for him in the event of his exchange with a third party, as he (the doctor) was leaving town for a short time. The money, however, disappeared from the custody of the person with whom it was left and reached Green; how, the doctor professes to be ignorant. With these facts in my possession I have felt it my duty to detain Doctor Boone in camp until I could report to you and receive instructions what to do with him. Doctor Boone is reputed wealthy and could I think be paroled with entire safety upon his giving suitable bonds. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel Sixty ninth Illinois Volunteers, Commanding. P. S.-I inclose a communication* to you from Doctor Boone for your consideration. FORT HAMILTON, N. Y. Harbor, August 4, 1862. Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. SIR: Inclosed you will receive four letters † which I thought proper to send through your office. Lieutenant Wood, my officer in command of Fort Lafayette, transferred a prisoner from one room to another, as I understand, by the wish of his fellow-prisoners, and he is now showing spite and ill-will in his letters, two of which I inclose. With regard to the character and conduct of Lieutenant Wood I am perfectly satisfied. My opinion of him is on record at the War Department made about twelve months ago, and I have since had no reason to change it. I consider him an officer perfectly reliable in every respect. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, MARTIN BURKE, Lieutenant-Colonel Third Artillery. [Indorsement.] ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, August 12, 1862. Respectfully returned to Colonel Burke. The letter of Lieutenant Wood contains no explanation of the specific charge made against him of substituting paper money for gold. By order: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. [Inclosure.] FORT LAFAYETTE, N. Y. Harbor, August 3, 1862. Col. M. BURKE, Commanding, &c., Fort Hamilton, N. Y. Harbor. COLONEL: I would respectfully call your attention to the inclosed letters. Those written by Mr. Cowan* are very severe on me. His *Not found. No inclosures found except that of Wood. vindictiveness against me is caused by my removing him from one room to another at the request of all the occupants of the room from which he was removed on account of his making himself very obnoxious to them. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, CHAS. O. WOOD, First Lieutenant, Ninth Infantry, Commanding Post. COLUMBUS, OHIO, August 4, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich. COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 31st ultimo in which I am informed of the receipt of my report from Camp Chase and which contains instructions in relation to paroled prisoners, rolls of military prisoners and rolls of prisoners to be furnished to the Adjutant-General's Office in Washington, including all prisoners who have been received at Camp Chase. This latter roll will be to-day forwarded to Washington. I have given it special attention and believe that it is not only correct, but that it furnishes all the data in reference to each prisoner that is required, so far as it is possible to collect it from the incomplete and irregular records which have been kept at Camp Chase. There will be but few cases where such items as are required under the headings of your printed forms of "Rolls of prisoners" are incomplete, at least in instances where such data are very essential. The rolls of military prisoners ordered by you are nearly ready. Separate lists will be made of irregular troops and both classes will include those absent on parole. With regard to the paroled prisoners in the city I have to state that I have communicated in writing your directions to me to the commanding officer at Camp Chase, who has submitted them to the Governor. I have used all means within the limits of my authority to carry out as you requested this order; as yet, though several days have elapsed, these prisoners are still at large. I have no authority to forcibly execute this order or I should not hesitate to do so. I inclose a monthly return of prisoners, submitted for my inspection, and with the corrections made by me I believe it is as it should be. I inclose a statement* of the savings of the prisoners' rations for the month of July. The amount is retained in the hands of the commissary of the post, subject to the orders of the commanding officer. I required from the commissary an account of the prison hospital fund, but much to my astonishment was told that no distinction had been made in the returns for provisions for the hospital drawn by the surgeon, between the prisoners' and the guard's hospital. This was partly owing to the several changes of surgeons who have been in charge of the hospitals and consequent misunderstanding of orders of which I was not informed until too late. It will not again occur, I am satisfied. I am having purchased from the fund fresh vegetables for the prisons and prison hospitals. I have to report very favorably of the use of the Farmers' boilers in economy of fuel, cleanliness in cookery, health of diet and economy of rations. The improvements directed by me and approved by you, to be made in the different prisons, have nearly all been completed, so far as have not involved additional expenditures since the receipt of your telegram from Washington. The drainage has been completed; roads and walks made; *Not found. buildings raised where absolutely necessary; nearly all the whitewashing is completed; vaults dug; privies built, and the buildings will where necessary be repaired as soon as it can be done with the available labor. I need not add that the health and comfort of not only the prisoners, but the whole camp, have been materially increased, and the stench, before so intolerable, almost removed. I shall send by to-morrow's mail for your action my complaints properly sustained against Captain Walker, the post commissary of Camp Chase. With that exception all orders received by me have, I believe, been carried out so far as was practicable, and I await further instructions. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, W. A: SHUBERT, New Haven, Conn. JOHN STIRLING, Clerk to Commissary-General of Prisoners. CAMP NEAR HARRISON'S LANDING, August 4, 1862. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington. SIR: I take the liberty to apply to you for information in regard to a matter which intimately concerns me as well as a good many others now serving in this army, and its importance will I trust in your estimation justify my application. Has a regular exchange of prisoners been (at any time since the commencement of this war) effected between the Federal Government and the Confederates? Are the returned prisoners now doing duty in this army in their proper place or did the Government procure their release under any stated or implied conditions with which the performance of any military duty would conflict? My own case is this: I was taken prisoner along with the surgeon of my regiment at Bull Run, July 21, 1861. Released in January last, and with the exception of the time passed at home on a furlough have since been doing duty with my regiment. I have been induced to make these inquiries by several things which have lately transpired in relation to returned prisoners, having heard that several men had found that they had not been regularly exchanged and were therefore violating the conditions of release which the Government accepted for them. |