6. These regulations will be strictly enforced by the health officer. Should there be any deviation therefrom, or should any of the orders given by the health officer to such vessels not be strictly carried out, he will report the fact to the medical director of the department, for the immediate arrest and imprisonment of the offender.

By order of Brigadier General John P. Hatch:

W. L. M. BURGER,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., May 12, 1864.

Major General E. A. HITCHCOCK, U. S. Army:

DEAR GENERAL: The barbarous treatment by the rebels of our colored troops demands immediate action on the part of our Government. The following suggestions are submitted to you, and if in your opinion good and practicable, might be laid before the proper authorities:

First. All prisoners of war captured by colored troops to be set aside as a reserved class.

Second. To this class add a portion of all prisoners taken in general engagements, in proportion to the number of colored troops serving with the army engaged.

Third. When selections are made in accordance with paragraph 2, let the larger portion be of officers or of men from influential families.

Fourth. All prisoners of the reserved class to be held for exchange for colored troops only, or for retaliation when such a course is unhappily found necessary.

Fifth. The names of all prisoners of the reserved class to be published in the Northern newspapers, and also issued in such a form as would enable our pickets, advance posts, or raiding parties to distribute them.

I do not know but some better plan has been already adopted. The method of retaliation by death would, I fear, cause foreign nations to interfere with the war.

Should you like the plan proposed by me, I would like a line from you on the subject.

Very truly, yours,

JNO. P. HATCH,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., May 12, 1864.

Admiral J. A. DAHLGREN,

Commanding South Atlantic Blockading Squadron:

ADMIRAL: I have received an order directing Major General J. G. Foster to take command of the Department of the South. The general will be here by the first steamer. He will be in command at the time we had fixed upon for the expedition, and as I do not think it