of War desires me to say the acts of Mr. Wood in reference to the exchange of prisoners will not be recognized and you will please so inform Mr. Ould. Also take such steps as may be necessary to procure the return of Mr. Wood to this city. I have thought it best to send Lieutenant Thomas down immediately. The Secretary has the cases of the Missouri State Guard and the independent and partisan rangers under advisement. The Harper's Ferry prisoners will be exchanged in their turn, but it is desired that those of prior date, especially such as have been some time in confinement, shall be exchanged first. Your attention is also directed to Western exchanges, the mass so far having been taken from Eastern troops. I am, &c., L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General. QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Lieut. R. BURR, Acting Assistant Quartermaster, Columbus, Ohio. LIEUTENANT: Your letter of the 19th June inclosing duplicate copies of following contracts has been received: 1. Contract with Newton Gibbons, director of the Franklin County Infirmary, to receive in said infirmary small-pox patients being soldiers or prisoners of war, for which he is to be paid $2 per day for each and every patient sent to said pest-house, which compensation was to include pay for the treatment and nursing of said patients and all things necessary for their care and comfort. 2. Contract with Dr. John Dawson to attend and professionally treat all such small-pox patients being soldiers or prisoners of war as may be placed under his care at the above-named pest-house, for which he is to be paid $2 for each and every day he shall actually and necessarily visit and treat such patients. The contracts were referred to the Surgeon-General with the following remarks: Should not these contracts which appear to have been entered into under the pressure of an exigency be provided for by the Medical Department? The Quartermaster's Department has an appropriation for care of prisoners of war and can if necessary pay for the medical care of these prisoners. That of the soldiers, however, belong to the Medical Department by law as well as by right. The Surgeon-General's views on this subject are requested before action on the contracts. The Surgeon-General's remarks on this subject are as follows: This department recognizes the propriety of paying for rent of hospitals and for medical attention to soldiers and is perfectly willing to do so when prisoners of war are included. The contracts inclosed are, however, so extravagant in rate of compensation as to be entirely inadmissible. The contracts for medical attendance should conform strictly to the requirements of regulation both in form and amount of pay. The contracts above referred to are disapproved and herewith returned. While the Quartermaster's Department might from its appropriation for the care of prisoners of war pay for their medical care and treatment and was willing to pay even the high rate charged for receiving small-pox patients in the pest-house, it could not make a similar provision for soldiers, and you went beyond your instructions in making a contract to cover both classes. The Medical Department now are willing to assume the rent of hospital and medical attendance for prisoners of war, consequently the cost thereof hereafter will not be a charge against the Quartermaster's Department and contracts for such services will be made in accordance with the Army Regulations. (See paragraphs 1268 to 1271.) So far as small-pox patients being prisoners of war have been admitted to the pest-house of the Franklin [County] Infirmary and received medical attendance from the physician employed by you, you are authorized to pay for the same in accordance with the instructions given to Captain Dickerson on the 3d of June last. This authority will not, however, extend beyond the date of new contracts to be made in accordance with the decision of the Surgeon-General before referred to. M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster-General. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners. COLONEL: I have the honor to report that in accordance with your letter of instructions of the 15th instant I proceeded to Columbus, Ohio, arriving on the evening of the 16th. After reporting to Governor Tod I proceeded to Camp Chase and made an examination into the condition of the military and political prisoners. I found 723 prisoners at the camp, of which only twelve were prisoners of war. These prisoners were confined in two camps adjoining each other and inclosed by a high fence. The quarters occupied by the prisoners were ample for their accommodation, with sufficient grounds within the inclosure for exercise. The quarters were divided into rooms of convenient size, with a stove in each. They were provided with bunks, abundance of bedding and indeed every necessary article was supplied and every care was taken to insure their comfort. I found the hospital well arranged, well ventilated and comfortable. The number of patients in the hospital, 24; the number of deaths for September, 4. The prevailing diseases were typhoid, bilious and intermittent fevers, typhoid predominating. The health of the camp was rapidly improving. I found that every precaution was taken to prevent the escape of prisoners. The daily guard for prisoners only numbered 101 men. The guard was stationed on the outside of the inclosure. There were seventeen sentinels on parapets, erected so that the whole camp might be overlooked. There were two sentinels at each gate and thirteen sentinels so stationed as to form a complete chain of sentinels around the camp on the outside independent of those on parapet above. The sentinels were vigilant and apparently well instructed in their duties. I found the following number of persons employed with duties connected with the prisoners and at the compensation assigned to each respectively: In post-office examining the correspondence of prisoners-one employed at $1 per day, the other at 40 cents; one book-keeper in charge of books and the money accounts of prisoners at $50 per month; three stewards in charge of prisoners and the police of their quarters and camp at 40 cents per day; one mail-carrier, who is also employed for troops, full compensation $50 per month. The above employés were all enlisted men excepting the mail-carrier. I directed that the compensation of the postmaster and book-keeper should be reduced to 40 cents per day; that the services of the stewards be altogether dispensed with as soon as possible, and that until dispensed with their compensation should be reduced to 25 cents per day. I recommended and directed the appointment of an officer as provostmarshal who should have under the superintendence of the commanding officer the immediate charge of the prisoners and of the general police of the camp. When he shall have become thoroughly acquainted with his duties and with the prisoners themselves the services of the stewards can be dispensed with. I found but three Farmer's boilers at Camp Chase which I caused to be erected within the prison inclosure; required they should be used for cooking purposes, depriving the pris oners of their other cooking utensils. These boilers not being sufficient for the use of all the prisoners I have since directed that those at Camp Butler be forwarded to Camp Chase with instructions to the commanding officer to have them erected as I had previously directed. The prisoners have taken a violent antipathy to the use of these boilers and will not use them unless constantly watched and compelled to do so. The stoves already at Camp Chase would answer a better purpose with but little increase of fuel. I introduced the scale for issue of rations to prisoners as directed by yourself at other camps. This scale, however, differed but little from the one in use. The manner of keeping the accounts was quite satisfactory and the funds were in the hands of Captain McAdams, assistant commissary of subsistence, U. S. volunteers, stationed at the camp. The lists of irregular military organizations have already been submitted. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. FREEDLEY, Captain and Assistant to Commissary General of Prisoners. His Excellency E. M. STANTON, LOUISVILLE, KY., October 27, 1862. Secretary of War, Washington. SIR: I have learned by a slip from a Richmond paper that Major Jordan, of the Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, has been delivered and sent from Libby Prison to Castle Thunder under charges that he allowed the men under his command to commit outrages on the citizens of Sparta, Tenn. Major Jordan never had his forces in Sparta but once. Morgan made a raid into Kentucky and arrived at Cave City on the 11th of May, 1862. I was at Bowling Green with one squad of cavalry and ran him out of this State at Burkesville. Major Jordan was at Gallatin, and he crossed over by Lebanon to McMinnville and chased him eight miles beyond Sparta. He made no stay at Sparta but returned immediately. Major Jordan was very strict in his discipline and I have never heard of any outrages committed by his men at Sparta or at any other place. Major Jordan was captured near Tompkinsville, Ky., on the 9th of July, 1862, under the following circumstances: He was stationed at that place at that time in command of three companies of the Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and had Company E also with him en route to join me at Albany, Clinton County, Ky. We were both under the command of Colonel Owens. I was with Colonel Owen at Albany and had only Company K with me. General J. T. Boyle then commanded all the U. S. forces in Kentucky. By his orders we did not consider Morgan and the rest of them commanding the men who made the raids into Kentucky as soldiers but only as marauders. When Morgan with a force of about 1,800 men made the attack on Major Jordan on the 9th of July he did not consider under his orders he ought to surrender to him. Consequently Major Jordan fought to the last, and when forced by the fire of artillery cut his way out. He killed 31 of the gang, including 1 colonel, and lost in killed 3 men and 1 lieutenant. They took about 16 prisoners, mostly men in the hospital and unfit for duty. Jordan was captured some miles out by reason of a wound his horse had received. He refused to be paroled by Morgan on the ground that he was not a Confederate officer, but only a marauder. This refusal on his part has made an enemy of Morgan and all his friends, and I fear that they intend to destroy the major to gratify private malice. General Boyle has promised me to write to you on the subject and to solicit your aid in relieving him from this unjust persecution. I feel a deep interest in Major Jordan's welfare and hope that you will do something to aid him in escaping this unjust treatment. He is a first-rate officer and a gentleman and incapable of allowing his men to do anything unjustifiable in war. G. B. BROWN, Major, Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 28, 1862. Major-General WALLACE, Columbus, Ohio: You will order barracks immediately for the paroled troops and make every suitable arrangement for their shelter and comfortable protection. EDWIN M. STANTON, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 28, 1862. Major-General WALLACE, Columbus, Ohio: Since dispatching to you this morning the Adjutant-General informs me that the paroled prisoners under your charge will probably be exchanged very soon and that barracks will be unnecessary. The order to erect barracks is therefore suspended for the present and you will take no action under it until further order. The receipt of this order you will acknowledge. EDWIN M. STANTON, COLUMBUS, OHIO, October 28, 1862. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War: Your second dispatch of to-day suspending order for erection of barracks for prisoners has been received. LEW. WALLACE, GENERAL ORDERS, No. 170. WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, I. In accordance with the fifth section of the act approved July 17, 1862, the proceedings of the military commission in the case of Sely Lewis have been submitted to the President of the United States. II. The following order promulgates the proceedings in the case: GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. FIFTH DIVISION, ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Memphis, August 26, 1862. No. 75. Before a military commission assembled in Memphis, July 28, pursuant to General Orders, No. 63, dated Memphis, July 26, 1862, of which Col. W. H. H. Taylor was president, were arraigned and tried: 24. SELY LEWIS, a citizen. CHARGE 1: Smuggling goods through the lines. Specification. In this, that the said Sely Lewis did, on or about the 18th day of August, 1862, engage one to haul one trunk, one carpet-bag and one basket containing boots, snuff, chloroform and morphine, through the lines against the order of the general commanding U. S. forces at Memphis, Tenn. CHARGE 2: Violation of the Fifty-seventh Article of War. Specification. In this, that the said Sely Lewis did on or about the 18th day of August, 1862, pass through the lines of the U. S. forces at Memphis with the intention of visiting the enemy and giving them information. All this at or near the city of Memphis. To which the prisoner, Sely Lewis, pleaded To the first charge, "Not guilty.' To the second charge, "Not guilty." Of the specifications, "Not guilty." After a careful examination of the testimony in the above case and after mature deliberation the commission are satisfied that the prisoner is— Of specification, first charge, "Guilty." Of first charge, "Guilty." Of specification, second charge, "Guilty." Of second charge, "Guilty." And the commission are convinced that the prisoner is a spy. And therefore unanimously recommend that the prisoner be hanged as a spy until he is dead at such time and place as the commanding officer shall direct. In case 24, of Sely Lewis, a citizen, convicted of being a spy, the execution of the sentence will be suspended until the pleasure of the President be made known according to law. In the meantime he will be carefully guarded and all communication with him except in the presence of an officer be denied him. By order of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman : J. H. HAMMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General. III. The following is the order of the President: So far as the sentence in the case relates to the accused as a spy it is disapproved, the commission not having jurisdiction of the offense. The sentence of death is mitigated to imprisonment for a term of six months, commencing this day, October 25, 1862. A. LINCOLN. IV. The sentence as mitigated by the President will be carried into execution under the orders of the commanding general Department of the Tennessee. By order of the Secretary of War: L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 29, 1862. COMMANDING OFFICER, Fort Delaware: You will retain Judge Carmichael in custody. The order* for his discharge is countermanded. EDWIN M. STANTON, Not found. |