OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, March 26, 1863.

Colonel J. C. KELTON,

Asst. Adjt. General, Headquarters of the Army, Washington, D. C.

COLONEL: I desire very respectfully to offer the following suggestions in relation to Camp Parole for the consideration of the General-in-Chief. After further and particular inquiries into the condition of the camp I am satisfied that from the accumulation of filth of every kind which surrounds in on all sides it will be absolutely necessary to occupy a new location during the coming summer, and as during the continuance of the war there must probably be from 2,000 to 10,000 men at the camp all the time I would urge as a matter of economy in men and money that immediate measures be taken to establish a permanent camp in the vicinity of the present one by erecting barracks of the character of those recently put up on Pennsylvania avenue above Twenty-second street. With paroled troops and such officers as can be spared to command them it is impossible to have huts erected that men can live in, and such as they are what one set builds another destroys. The use of tents is attended with great expense for besides the rapid destruction of them from want of care those which are vacated by the departure of troops are immediately seized upon by the men who remain and used to double the tents they occupy or to cut up for other purposes, and at the present rate the cost of tents for 100 men would be little less than barracks, while the tents wold last only for a few months and the barracks wold serve for the war. Besides the advantage of economy in barracks the men in them would be always comfortable, which wold remove a great cause of the complaints and discontent which are now so often expressed. With a well arranged compact camp better discipline and better police can be maintained and the men will be more under the control of the guard. I have the honor to submit herewith a plan* of the new camp which shows the ground and the arrangement of the buildings for 6,000 men. The buildings are one story and will quarter 100 men, with one kitchen to three buildings. The plan is not complete in all its details but it is sufficiently so to give an idea how it may be arranged. By being near the railroad much expense in transportation will be saved. There is a good spring and well near the house and good water may be had be digging wells, as at the present camp. A camp of this kind for 6,000 men would cost at a rough estimate $20,000, which I feel very confident would be the best economy in the end. Two story barracks are cheaper than one story as the same roofing serves for both cases and the lower story makes kitchen and mess room; otherwise there must be a separate kitchen. The owner of the ground who is reported to be a good Union man asks $1,500 a year rent.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 26, 1863.

Colonel LUDLOW, Agent for Exchange.

COLONEL: I have placed in the hands of Captain Mulford duplicate rolls of the citizen prisoners just arrived from Sandusky and also duplicate rolls prisoners of war sent from the Old Capitol Prison. You will

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* Not found.

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