issued in his case. I wish that all letters sent from Fort Lafayette to me at Fort Hamilton to be mailed conform to all the original instructions that I communicated to you about twenty months ago. Please reject any letters that do not conform to those rules. Any complaint or objection made on this matter and addressed to the authorities in Washington will be duly forwarded. Please state this fact to the prisoners if necessary.,

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

MARTIN BURKE,

Lieutenant-Colonel Third Artillery.

SAINT LOUIS, April 7, 1863.

Lieutenant J. GUYLEE, Fort Iowa Cavalry, Aide-de-Camp.

LIEUTENANT: On the 31st ultimo Mrs. General Jeff. Thompson, here friend Mrs. Colhoun (wife of a rebel officer), a nurse and two children arrived in Saint Louis from Helena, claiming to be here on honest business and to have bee properly passed through our lines at Helena. They are now in close custody in their rooms at the Everett House under charge of the U. S. police, having been arrested as being improper persons within our lines and under suspicious circumstances. You will take charge of the entire party and conduct them to Helena under close guard, to be passed through the lines in the direction they came from unless the commanding officer of the district may decide that the circumstances of their getting through there will justify their detention and trial. George Smizer, of Helena, is reported as having been instrumental in procuring the passes for these women and to have changed money for them. You will inquire particularly into this and report all facts proper for his information and action to the commanding officer at Helana. You receive herewith the pass by which they left their lines, the pass by which came into ours and the one by which they left Helena and went toward Memphis. The circumstances attending the reaching Saint Louis by these rebel women are so suspicious that General Curtis desires particular information in regard to it. A. W. Paul Bently was arrested at the same time and is now in Gratiot [Street] Prison. You will take him also through the lines as a suspicious person. He admits having run the blockade from the South. Our your return you will make full report to this office.

By command of Major-General Curtis:

F. A. DICK,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Provost-Marshal-General.

HEADQUARTERS COMMANDANT OF PRISONS,
Camp Chase, Ohio, April 7, 1863.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington,

COLONEL: I have the honor to this day forward to you by mail in separate packages, viz:

1. The monthly returns for March of the prisoners' saving fund and prison hospital fund together with abstract and vouchers for expenditures.

2. Complete rolls of all the prisoners of war and citizens at this post April 1, 1863.