underclothin for the sick and sheets and pillow-cases sufficient to insure cleanliness and comfort. Have a careful account of the rations due the hospital and the rations drawn kept, so that the sick may have the advantage of the savings and with the fund purchase all articles that may in any way be of benefit to the sick. I wish the commissary at the camp to withhold any part of the ration which may be in excess of what is really necessary and semi-monthly pay to Colonel Owen the value of the ration so retained, thus making a fund to be distributed by the colonel for the benefit of the prisoners. Many articles which now have to be furnished by the Government may be purchased with this fund, such as brooms, buckets, table furniture, &c. Of course it will be required that a careful account of receipts and expenditures, with bills, will be kept by the colonel.

As soon as practicable put the prisoners in tents, from one building at a time, and rearrange the bunks so as to give more room and more light, making the barracks as comfortable as possible without incurring but little expense. Put a second floor or half floor, as may be found most expedient, in the receiving hospital at the camp to divide it into two stories and give larger accommodations to the sick.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Lieutenant Colonel Eighth Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

Resolution adopted by the House of Representatives March 24, 1862.

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested to inform this House the cause if any for the protracted delay in the exchange of Colonel Corcoran,* a prisoner of war at Richmond since July last, and that he be and is hereby directed to stop all exchanges of prisoners until Colonel Corcoran be released.

WASHINGTON, March 24, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

SIR: The long arrest of General Stone without military inquiry or trial which it was at one time understood would be promptly had has led to complaints from many quarters. General Stone being recognized as a citizen of the State of California many of these complaints have been addressed to us in the form of inquires as well as requests. The inquiries we have of course been altogether unable to answer further than that we understood that by the Articles of War he was entitled to a trial by a day certain. That day having passed we could only say ignoramus. Under all the circumstances and having known General Stone for years and never having had cause to doubt his loyalty we feel it our duty to inquire of the Government through you for some explanation of a proceeding which seems to us most extraordinary.

General Stone was and is a military officer of the United States, and as such we understand him to have been and to be subject to military law. We at the same time understand him to be entitled to all the rights conferred by the same law. We do not intend to question

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* A similar resolution was passed concerning Colonel Willcox; see Secretary Stanton's answer, April 18, p. 460.

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26 R R-SERIES II, VOL III.