others agreed upon by Colonel Taylor. * He also sends Captain T. I. McKenny, aide-de-camp, who is authorized to negotiate for all prisoners in the belligerent armies taken from the Army of the Southwest, and he directs that for all prisoners surrendered by you to us equivalents shall be returned as near as may be according to the table proposed by General Price and accepted by General Halleck in the following order. As most of our prisoners have been sent to Saint Louis some delay may be occasioned in the return, during which time those released by you will be held on parole as non-combatants.

[S. R. CURTIS,]

Brigadier-General, Commanding Army of the Southwest.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, March 20, 1862.

Lieutenant Colonel W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Sandusky, Ohio.

COLONEL: Your letter of the 7th instant relating to the inexperience and ineficiency of Doctor Bobbs, who has charge of the three military hospitals in Indianapolis, having been referred to the Surgeon-General for his consideration and such action as he deemed proper, that officer has returned it with a copy of a letter he had addressed to Surgeon Bobbs instructing him as to his duties in connection with the hospitals. A copy thereof is herewith inclosed for your obedient servant,

E. S. SIBLEY,

Brevet Colonel, U. S. Army, Deputy Quartermaster-General.

[Inclosure.]

SURGEON-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, March 17, 1862.

Dr. J. S. BOBBS,

Brigade Surgeon, U. S. Volunteers,

In charge of General Hospital, Indianapolis, Ind.

SIR: From a communication of Lieutenant Colonel W. Hoffman, the commissary-general of prisoners, to the Quartermaster-General of the Army, it appears that a great deal of careful scrutiny into the conduct of those giving medical attendance and in subordiante positions among the prisoners is required. You will therefore give the most earnest attention to all that relates to the discipline of the hospital as well as to the comfort of the sick, and see that every officer, attendant and patient is obedient to all the rules that are found necessary to establish for the proper government of the hospital. A strict observance of discipline and a diligent attention to duty is enjoined upon all in connection with the establishment.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. A. FINLEY,

Surgeon-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE SOUTHWEST,
Cross Hollows, March 20, 1862.

Brigadier-General SIGEL,

Commanding First and Second Divisions.

SIR: Your favor of the 20th instant is at hand. The general commanding directs me to say that Colonel Lyon, of the Confederate Army,

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*Formal memorandum of agreement for this exchange, dated March 20, omitted. Halleck's Order, Numbers 30, omitted here; see Volume I, this Series, p. 164.

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