Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, ALTON, ILL., November 27, 1862. Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C. COLONEL: I have completed my inspection of the military prison and have the honor to submit the following statement of the condition and of the causes of the confused and incorrect manner in which returns were made and forwarded to your office: The commanding officer has not given as much of his personal attention to the prison as was required. He has attempted to take the entire charge of his regiment, of the prisoners, the duties of the adjutant and of the provost-marshal of the prison. The colonel was the only field officer here. He has had but little experience, and in taking upon himself the entire charge he has undertaken more than he was able to perform. He has now the lieutenant-colonel and major to assist him. The colonel, while he endeavors satisfactorily to perform his duties, has but little system or organization in his office and there is a culpable want of discipline in his command. The adjutant's office has been under the charge of Maj. W. B. Mason, late adjutant of the prison. Here there was a terrible lack of system. During the excess of business caused by forwarding prisoners to Vicksburg for exchange affairs became so confused and retarded that I have * found it impossible to procure the correct prison records for the month of September and part of October. This arose from incapacity, want of order and of system. The major pleads as his excuse want of information of the proper manner of discharging his duties, confliction of instructions from different authorities, excess of business in his office, and the ignorance of the clerks under his charge. He has #undoubtedly labored hard and accomplished little. I do not consider him competent for the position. I had given Major Mason every necessary instruction and had he properly devoted his attention to his duties he could have satisfactorily fulfilled every requirement. It is to be hoped that since his promotion he will be more fortunate in his new position, but he has just returned from the command of the guard in charge of the detachment of prisoners sent to Sandusky, in which there were 300 prisoners, with four companies (200 men) as guard, and yet the notorious guerrilla chief, Colonel Faulkner, escaped after having publicly asserted his intention of doing so. Colonel Faulkner has under an assumed name since written a letter to a fellow-prisoner as per agreement made before leaving Sandusky. Capt. I. B. Kinkead has been appointed adjutant of the prison and he conducts the business of his office with ability. He has now been à fully instructed and there can be no excuse of want of information hereafter. Captain Kinkead is attentive and energetic in the performance of his duties. Lieut. E. R. Moore has had immediate charge of the prisoners as provost-marshal. I do not consider him a competent officer for the position. He is not sufficiently attentive to his duties and does not properly enforce his authority. At the time of my arrival the prisoners had not yet been reorganized into squads, which had been broken up by sending 300 prisoners to Sandusky, so that on Sunday night when some four escaped he was unable to discover who had gone. The prisoners left for Sandusky on Friday. This manifested inexcusable neglect. So incomplete and incorrect were the rolls that at this time there is no positive proof of the number that escaped. Four names were found on the rolls who were not found in the prison, and three persons were found in the prison whose names were not found on the rolls. constant changes that occur here prevent the officers of the prison from The getting acquainted with the prisoners. If the squads are not kept organized and rolls called daily mistakes will constantly occur and escapes will not be discovered until too late for hope of apprehension. Mr. R. C. Rutherford, commissary agent, is a gentleman of intelligence, but entirely inexperienced in the duties of the commissary department. He is attentive to his duties and endeavors to satisfactorily perform them. He has had charge since September 9 and has not been fully instructed by his predecessor. I had given him some verbal instructions when last here, but your circular and instructions which I directed to be furnished him had not yet been received. He is honest in the performance of his duties and careful of the interests of the prisoners and of the Government. The hospital is under the charge of Doctor Hardy, a citizen physician, who is attentive in the discharge of his duties and kind to the prisoners under his charge. At present there is a large number of sick and the hospital is crowded. Pneumonia is the prevailing disease and is caused by the broken-down condition of the prisoners on their arrival, change of climate and living, scarcity of clothing and bedding. together with the dampness of a portion of the prison. Since my arrival important sanitary measures have been adopted which I hope will materially lessen the sick report. The police of the prison was not as satisfactory as could be expected. There is an abundance of water and of every necessary article at the command of the prisoners in order to enable them to keep their persons, clothing and quarters neat and clean, but many of them are so excessively indolent that they will live in filth, and force must be employed to cause them to keep themselves in a condition to meet the sanitary regulations of the prison. Every convenience is at hand and the police of the prison should be excellent, and is only indifferent on account of the want of attention and of force in the provost-marshal. I have appointed an energetic non-commissioned officer provost-sergeant. He has so far performed his duties with so much attention, zeal and energy that I feel assured that the police of the prison will soon be greatly improved. The police of the hospital might also be improved. Many of the prisoners here are sadly destitute of clothing. There is not a sufficient supply on hand to meet the requirements of the hospital. Estimates of clothing will be made out and forwarded to-day after the arrival of some 500 prisoners who are expected from Saint Louis. I must again recommend that the clothing be of the linseywoolsey kind, and not the clothing furnished our army. This course will be less expensive and make a distinguishing mark between the appearance of the prisoners and of the guard. I have found the guard vigilant and well instructed in their duties, but these duties were per formed in a loose and careless manner, arising from a relaxation of discipline and from want of force in their officers. I must again call your attention to the condition of the four insane persons in confinement here. Three of them are harmless and inoffensive persons and I respectfully recommend that they be discharged. The fourth is a raving maniac, has set fire to the prison several times, requires to be confined to the cells during the night and to be constantly watched during the day. He is not a prisoner, but a soldier of the Seventieth Illinois Volunteers, and should be removed to an insane asylum. There are stabled within the prison inclosure quite a number of mules. I would respectfully recommend that they be removed and the necessary shelter be erected for them near the quarters for the troops. The financial affairs of the prison are quite satisfactory. Economy has been exercised in every department. The fund of the prisoners is ample for every demand that may be made upon it. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. FREEDLEY, Capt., Third Infty., Assistant to Commissary General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, General S. R. CURTIS, Comdg. Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo. DEAR GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 22d instant yesterday. By the same mail I received reports from my assistant, Capt. H. W. Freedley, U. S. Army, who had been ordered to make an examination into the state of affairs at the Alton Prison, which represented the place in such an utter state of confusion and disorder that I thought it absolutely necessary to apply to the Secretary of War to have him placed in command. I telegraphed to you to day to this effect and requested you to detail a guard of 300 or 400 men with no officer of higher rank than captain, so that there would be no conflict of authority. The captain is an energetic and reliable officer and you may rest assured that the command will be well disciplined and the prisoners well guarded and well cared for. Colonel Hildebrand means well I dare say, but he is wanting in many things essential to such a command. I am, very respectfully, general, your obedient servant, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Capt. H. W. FREEDLEY, Indianapolis, Ind.: After performing the duty assigned to you at Indianapolis proceed to Alton and relieve Colonel Hildebrand in the command of the military prison. General Curtis will detail a guard. By order of the Secretary of War: W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners. Please send a copy of the above telegram to Louisville, Ky., care of General Boyle. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Brig. Gen. R. W. JOHNSON, Louisville, Ky. GENERAL: Your letter of the 3d instant addressed to General Rosecrans has just been referred to me, and I am glad to inform you that you are included in the exchanges recently arranged at Aiken's Landing, and you are now at liberty to return to duty. An order will be published in a few days announcing the exchange. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. HOFFMAN, Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, Col. W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners. COLONEL: Your communication of the 24th instant with its inclosures is received. I return to you indorsed such cases* as have been acted on. I also inclose to you a list of men of the ships Congress and Wachusett who have been exchanged under General Declaration No. 1, of November 11, 1862, which covers all captures in Maryland and Virginia. These names were on the lists inclosed to me by you and furnished by the Navy Department of captures by the enemy. It does not appear on these lists whether the men of the Wachusett have been delivered. The balance of the lists as also the cases inclosed to me and unacted on will be disposed of if possible at my next interview with Mr. Ould. If you have any other papers relating to exchanges not effected please send them to me. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Col. WILLIAM HOFFMAN, WM. H. LUDLOW, Agent for Exchange of Prisoners. ALTON, ILL., November 28, 1862. Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C. COLONEL: Two hundred and seventy-three prisoners were received here last night about 10 o'clock. The night was bitter cold and very dark. These prisoners were delivered without rolls or other papers to show their character or from whence they came. Saint Louis is only two and a half hours from here by boat and it is inexcusable in the provost-marshal-general to forward prisoners here by night. It is impossible to keep a correct record of this prison if prisoners arrive here after dark and without rolls. I have been unexpectedly detained here. I leave to-night. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. FREEDLEY, Captain and Assistant to Commissary-General of Prisoners. Hon. J. HOLT. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, November 29, 1862. MY DEAR SIR: I inclose you a letter of Capt. S. F. Allen, wounded in his first battle and now in hospital, a valued and reliable constituent, who writes me as to Capt. B. P. Walker. Besides what he states I would add that Colonel Allison had only commanded Camp Chase three weeks when he charged Captain Walker with being absent * Omitted. repeatedly without leave, which is disproved by his military secretary, Holmes, who certifies that Captain W. always had leave and by Colonel A.'s orders. I would further state that Colonel Allison is now out of the service himself and at home. Respectfully, yours, SCHUYLER COLFAX. [Inclosure.] 1 Hon. S. COLFAX. INDIANAPOLIS, November 24, 1862. DEAR SIR: I take the liberty of addressing a few lines to you in relation to the affairs of our mutual friend, Capt. B. P. Walker. Being at Columbus for some time while Captain Walker was discharging his duties there, and knowing well how his office was managed, also knowing well the character of the men who procured his removal, I have no doubt whatever that an act of great injustice has been done to a faithful and efficient officer. As regards Colonel Allison, the commander at Camp Chase, and the principai instigator in this matter, I have no hesitation in saying that after an experience of nearly eighteen months of military life he is the most miserably incompetent officer I have ever met. Captain Lazelle I never met. He has the reputation of being a drunkard, while his loyalty is not above suspicion. By the best citizens of Columbus and by officers of high character in the service, both of the General Government and of the State, Captain Walker is mentioned often as an honest and capable officer, and from personal observation I can assure you that among this class of men he enjoys a character and reputation that any officer might desire. I frequently examined the rations at Camp Chase, and nowhere in field, camp or hospital have I seen a better quality of rations issued, and seldom as good. Truth compels me to state these facts to you, Mr. Colfax, that in what you may do for Captain Walker you may have the satisfaction of knowing that you are doing a service to the country as well as to a friend. I know the zeal with which you attend to the interests of all your constituents, and beg to assure you that while I shall consider any effort that you may make in this behalf as a personal favor, you will add another to the many obligations to you under which I am placed already. With highest respect, your obedient servant, SILAS F. ALLEN. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. SIR: I have the honor to inclose for the information of the Department of State copies and translations of a correspondence between Admiral Reynaud and myself upon the subject of the imprisonment of Alfred and Jules Le More. As these will form a part of the papers relating to the case of the French consul and the New Orleans bank, I have transmitted them directly to the Department of State. It will be observed in his reply that the admiral does not deny or remark upon the claim of Alfred Le More that his papers were concealed on board the Catinat, a French ship of war. Most respectfully, your obedient servant, BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. |