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hospital fund for July must be determined by the number of sick in the hospitals. Your presence in Columbus will probably be necessary in making arrangements for the exchange of prisoners and I wish you to remain there for the present.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS, Camp Douglas, Chicago, August 7,.1862.

Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of August [1] in which you refer to the report of Post Surgeon McVickar upon the scorbutic condition of the prisoners and sanitary condition of the camp. I forward a letter from Doctor McVickar from which you will see that all your orders have been carried out as well as our means admitted. The first specific authority to supply extra vegetables to the prisoners was received July 22 (see Captain Lazelle's letter of that date), one day after the date of Doctor McVickar's report. The scorbutic tendency had been observed and an extra supply of vegetables obtained through the contractors before that authority was received, as you will notice by referring to my letter to Captain Lazelle of July 24. With regard to the sanitary condition of the camp referred to by Doctor McVickar in his report of July 21 he did not intend to imply any neglect of the ordinary daily police duties, but to refer solely to the inevitable measures which an ample system of drainage and an abundant and well-distributed supply of water can alone abate.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH H. TUCKER,

Colonel Sixty-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Commanding.

Col. J. H. TUCKER, Commanding.

Inclosure.]

CAMP DOUGLAS, August 7, 1862.

SIR: In reply to yours of this morning I beg leave to say that that portion of my letter of the 21st July touching the existence of scurvy in the camp referred to a condition of things which was first brought to my notice on or about the 15th, at which time I issued written instructions, a copy of which I brought to your notice, with reference to its care and treatment. The existence of and tendency to the disease has much diminished and its entire subsidence under the free use of vegetables now introduced may be confidently looked for in a very few days. As regards sanitary matters connected with the introduction of water into and the proper drainage of the camp I merely meant to say that the sanitary condition was inherently bad owing to the want of these two improvements. The general condition as far as can be accomplished is ordinarily good independent of the needs in that particular, the principal fault now being the bad condition of the sinks, which have not been repaired and cleansed owing to the delay in the adoption of some definite system with regard to them.

Very respectfully,

23 R R-SERIES II, VOL IV

B. McVICKAR,
Post Surgeon.

HEADQUARTERS, Fort Smith, Ark., August 7, 1862. Brigadier-General BROWN, Commanding, Springfield, Mo.

GENERAL: I have the honor to send to you First Lieut. W. Kearney, C. S. Army, with flag of truce to effect an exchange of prisoners. He has full instructions and powers and any arrangements made with him will receive my approval and immediate attention. If compatible with your sense of duty I would be glad to know why it is non-combatants are arrested and held in durance and their private property destroyed. Such acts could only be counterbalanced by retaliatory measures which would be unfortunate at least for those who are not responsible for the acts of the belligerents. I would also be glad to know what binding efficacy is intended to be given to the forced oaths administered by the military authority of your Government to citizens of Northwest Arkansas as well as the penalty of disregarding the same. It is the duty of every citizen to return to his full allegiance after being arrested unless released, being a soldier on his parole of honor. This construction I will be compelled to enforce and will protect in every way even to the most bitter and most unrelenting retaliation any citizen of Northwest Arkansas who is injured by U. S. soldiery for complying with his duty in this behalf. It is my hope the strife may not grow more bitter even if it cannot be softened.

Very respectfully,

CHAS. A. CARROLL,

Colonel, Commanding Northwest Arkansas.

OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL, Wheeling, August 7, 1862.

Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 4th instant. There is not now at this post or at posts from which I have been able to procure a report a single prisoner of war in Western Virginia. I have referred your letter to Major-General Wool, commanding Middle Department, requesting him to give the necessary order so that I can forward you reports from posts that have not reported to me. With regard to paroled prisoners with every effort that I have made at various times I have not been able to file in my office or to learn that there was anywhere filed such a record that I could obtain. Ever since this West Virginia was contained in what was known as the Army of Occupation of Western Virginia, then Department of Western Virginia, then Mountain Department, there never has been a time when the department was left in such limits and under such command for such a length of time that it was possible after all arrangements were appropriately made to carry out the orders issued relating to such matters.

I have in jail five guerrillas, whom I take to be "belonging to no military organization though taken in arms," whose cases have been specially reported to the Secretary of War, as they were tried at Clarksburg, Va., condemned to be hung by a military commission in June last, the record forwarded to the President but not heard from since. I will particularly observe your order relative to applications for release of prisoners to give their status.

Very respectfully,

JOS. DARR, JR., Major and Provost-Marshal.

P. S.-All records of Department of Western Virginia and of Mountain Department are in Washington City.

OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL, Wheeling, August 7, 1862. Col. W. D. WHIPPLE, Assistant Adjutant-General, Baltimore.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose letter* from Colonel Hoffman, commissary-general of prisoners, and respectfully request if the commanding general sees fit that orders be issued to enable me to comply with the instructions of said letter, or that Colonel Hoffman be advised of the commanding general's pleasure in the matter. I have notified Colonel Hoffman that there is not now at this post nor at any post in Western Virginia from which I have been able to procure reports a single prisoner of war, as they have all been forwarded here and from here to Camp Chase, Ohio.

Very respectfully,

[Indorsement.]

JOS. DARR, JR., Major and Provost-Marshal.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH ARMY CORPS,
Baltimore, Md., August 9, 1862.

Respectfully returned.

A letter from Major Darr to the commissary-general of prisoners of war will be all that he requires. Lists from other posts in the army corps where prisoners of war have been confined have already been furnished and the prisoners have been sent South.

By command, &c. :

WM. D. WHIPPLE, Assistant Adjutant-General.

OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL, Wheeling, August 7, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

SIR: To enable you to understand what difference there is in my present position from what it was in the Mountain Department when provost-marshal-general I must refer to the changes made when General Frémont was relieved of his command. General Wool, at Baltimore, commanding Middle Department, was placed in command of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Baltimore to Wheeling, and of the Northwestern Virginia Railroad from Grafton to Parkersburg, the latter a branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. General Kelley, under General Wool, was to command the Railroad District known as the railroads referred to. In addition General Kelley was to extend his authority over certain counties adjoining said railroads; but as the following extract will show the general does not now know exactly what the limits of his command are:

JULY 26, 1862.

The limits and extent of the Middle Department as well as of my district are to my mind far from clear or well defined, and until the requisite information is obtained it is not deemed advisable to make an order in the premises. B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier-General.

To complicate matters, Brigadier-General Cox, commanding Kanawha District, was intrusted with what is said to be a sort of independent command the limits of which I am led to infer are also somewhat uncertain. General Wool, General Kelley and General Cox now command in West Virginia. General Kelley reports for the railroad

* Omitted here; Hoffman to Darr, August 4, p. 338.

command to General Wool; outside of that I do not know to whomSigel, Pope or War Department. Whether General Cox reports to General Pope or War Department I cannot ascertain.

As provost-marshal-general of the Mountain_Department I could expect to receive regular reports, but General Frémont was relieved just as he had determined his policy, &c. On consultation with Governor Peirpoint he concluded to apply in a strong letter to the War Department for my appointment as chief provost-marshal of West Vir ginia, as determined by the bill under which she sought for admission as a separate State, with instructions to report to you. In that case I could know precisely what territory I had control of and could receive proper reports from posts in it. As it is I have reports from most of the posts in West Virginia. The prisons are clear, except in Wheeling, of prisoners; but of posts that are contained in Middle Department and Railroad District out of the State of West Virginia I have had no notice taken of instructions to report.

Excuse this long letter, but I thought it necessary to advise you how I am situated.

Very respectfully,

JOS. DARR, JR., Major and Provost-Marshal.

OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL, Wheeling, August 7, 1862. Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners. SIR: I have stated that I considered it would be more economical for the Government to build a prison on the island for political prisoners than to forward them to Camp Chase, Ohio. I have not been able to secure more than one company here for guard duty, and have been obliged to confine deserters, &c., among guerrillas, prisoners of war, &c. The necessity of ventilation in the present prison prevents a division of the apartment. If the prison is built on the island the Governor will call for a special guard from the citizens of this county and neighborhood.

Very respectfully,

Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

JOS. DARR, JR., Major and Provost-Marshal.

COLUMBUS, OHIO, August 7, 1862.

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of two communications from your office dated the 4th instant. Captain Dickerson has already expressed his willingness to pay the account of Messrs. Aiken & Emory in such funds as he has, but states that no bills greater than $1,000 are paid in money by him but in U. S. bonds. This is my understanding of the letter received from him by the assistant quartermaster at Camp Chase. He says, however, that the Treasury has generally paid bills of less than $5,000 in money and that they will have no difficulty in getting it on the bonds paid to them by him. I shall arrange the matter satisfactorily to them in some manner. The rolls for the Adjutant-General's Office were sent yesterday. The duplicates for your office will be prepared without delay, but a considerable

time will be necessary as they are very voluminous. The rolls of the military prisoners are completed-one set; the duplicates will be completed and both held subject to your orders, as you requested in your letter to the commanding officer of Camp Chase, quite as soon as such orders can reach him from you. No expenditures were made in July from the prisoners' fund.

I will send a detailed list of articles purchased to-morrow. The Vouchers even where paid by the quartermaster have not been used by him but held for possible future payments from the fund as you ver bally ordered. I will communicate to Captain Peyton your action and instructions. In cases where citizens have been arrested and the charge against them is written "done nothing," as in those cases to which I have called your attention, will such be discharged? And in cases where citizens are harmless from infirmities, such as having lost their limbs or permanent use of other functions, and recommended by surgeon for discharge-insanity, idiocy and one or two paupers who have been taken from the poor-house and whom you request should be discharged-will they be discharged without any provision being made for them, or will they be furnished transportation to their homes when it is unnecessary to place them in an insane asylum for safety? There are several simple idiots utterly incapable of caring for themselves. . I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. M. LAZELLE,

Captain, Eight Infantry, U. S. Army.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 8, 1862.

Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith an extract from the protest of the master of the British schooner Mersey relative to the alleged robbery of himself and the mate of that vessel at Fort Lafayette, and have to request that you will cause an inquiry to be instituted into the matter.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

[First indorsement.]

AUGUST 8, 1862.

Referred to the Adjutant-General, with directions to make an immedi

ate investigation and report.

By order of the Secretary of War:

P. H. WATSON, Assistant Secretary of War.

[Second indorsement.]

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, August 12, 1862.

Respectfully referred to Lieutenant Colonel Burke for strict investigation and report. One charge made within is similar to that brought against Lieutenant Wood in another communication from B. W. Sanders, &c. To be returned.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.

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