will be placed in the hands of the officer commanding the guard, who will deliver them and the prisoners on his arrival at Vicksburg to Captain H. M. Lazelle, Eighth Infantry, U. S. Army, agent for the delivery of prisoners of war, to whom he will report for further orders. You will also placed in the hands of the commander of the guard all moneys belonging to prisoners that may be in your possession with a certified account showing the amount due each individual, which money and account will be delivered to Captain Lazelle.

You will instruct the commander of the guard to be very careful that none of his charge escape by the way and that they are not interfered with in any way at stopping-places on the route.

On his arrival at Cairo he will report to the commanding officer and request that the company may be relieved from its duties as guard to prisoners by a detail from that post. On being relieved he will turn over to the officer who relieves him his instructions all papers and moneys with which he may be intrusted and take receipts therefor. He will then return to this station.

Direct your quartermaster to provide the necessary transportation, taking that route which will require the fewest changes of cars.

Those prisoners who wish to take the oath of allegiance will be permitted to do so and will then be discharged. Duplicate rolls of all so discharged will be prepared and certified to by yourself, one copy to be sent to the Adjutant-General at Washington and the other to the commissary-general of prisoners at Detroit.

Such prisoners will receive any money in your hands belonging to them. Those who belong to Tennessee regiments will be furnished with transportation to Nashville, Tenn., on their giving their parole to report to Governor Johnson.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

CAIRO, ILL., August 26, 1862.

L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army:

There is but one gun-boat (the Eastport) here. All others are at or below Helena. I intend leaving on Thursday with all prisoners from Camp Morton (about 3,500) with three transports and the Eastport as convoy to Helena, Ark., and thence to Vicksburg with two gun-boats. It will take eighteen days to return here with gun-boats. I am informed by the general commanding here that he has not the means to receive and to dispose of all the prisoners which may arrive up to that time unless they are placed on transports to await the return of the gun-boats. This would be an expense of $200 each per day. I would respectfully suggest that the remainder of the prisoners not now sent be retained at their respective camps until the return of the transports and gun-boats, eighteen days, then all sent here and down the river at the same time. I await orders.

H. M. LAZELLE,

Captain, Eighth Infantry.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND., August 26, 1862.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that 1,238 prisoners were forwarded on Saturday with Captain Lazelle, U. S. Army; 773 on Sunday