HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE POTOMAC,
Fort Monroe, February 18, 1863.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

COLONEL: I have the honor to inclose to you a list* of paroles of prisoners of war by Captain Joseph P. Black, provost-marshal at Harrodsburg, Ky., from December 28, 1862, to January 9, 1863; also a list* of thirty-one prisoners captured by officers under command of General Weitzel and paroled by him; also list* of prisoners taken by Colonel Thomas at Bayou Teche, La. ; also a descriptive list* of wounded prisoners paroled. I cannot use these papers in effecting exchanges until it is shown or known what has become of the paroled men, or whether after being paroled they were sent through the lines. Will you please give orders that all parole papers shall show these points? It will be a very simple matter for the officer sending you the paroles to do it.

I am, very respectfully,

WM. H. LUDLOW,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Agent for Exchange of Prisoners.

ALTON, ILL., February 18, 1863.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners:

Your question+ is difficult to answer. One-half the prisoners have had smallpox and varioloid. I think it would be unsafe to send even those not diseased without complete change of clothing.

A. WALL,

Surgeon, Military Prison Hospital.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, February 18, 1863.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.

COLONEL: You are respectfully informed that Captain Potter, assistant quartermaster at Chicago, has this day been directed to issue for the comfort of rebel prisoners at Camp Douglas from the stock of inferior gray clothing on hand at Chicago the 300 pairs trousers specified in Captain Rutherford's requisition of the 11th instant. The balance of the articles called for have been ordered from the inferior stock on hand at New York.

By order of the Quartermaster-General:

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ALEX J. PERRY,

Assistant Quartermaster.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Murfreesborough, February 19, 1863.

General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON, C. S. Army.

GENERAL: Inclosed I transmit a letter sent you yesterday by flag of truce, which was returned to my lines to-day, indorsed as you will see and signed "Jos. Wheeler, Major-General and Chief of Cavalry. "

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*Omitted.

+Reference is to Hoffman to Dick, February 16, p. 277.

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