serving in the West, including those in the general hospital at Annapolis who are recommended for the transfer by the surgeon in charge, in accordance with General Orders, Numbers 72, of June last. Furnish cooked rations for the route and sent the usual rolls and accounts with the officers in charge. Exchanged officers and men will on reaching Camp Chase or Benton Barracks be ordered to join their respective regiments without delay. In preparing the command for the movement be governed by the instructions heretofore given to you in such cases. Report to me by return mail at what time the command will probably leave.

By order of the General - in - Chief:

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary - General of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, April 28, 1863.

Major - General HURLBUT,

Commanding Sixteenth Army Corps.

GENERAL: In compliance with Special Orders, Numbers 77, Headquarters Sixteenth Army Corps, Memphis, April 22, 1863, I have the honor to report the following in regard to the island in the Mississippi River and a point below Columbus, Ky., and in contemplation as proper locations for a military prison to accommodate 1,000 prisoners. Islands 1, 2, 3, and 4 lie between Cairo Ill., and Columbus, Ky. They all overflows, and with the exception of one (Island 2) have become attached to the mainland. At Columbus there is a good location about one mile from military headquarters and south.

It is a location that can always be approached by steam - boats at low and high to land stores or prisoners. There is a large amount of timber on the point an in the immediate vicinity. Island Numbers 5, better known as Wolfe Island and in view of Columbus, is about seven miles long and is from three and one - fourth to two and one - half miles I width. It is well timbered and has high land in the center, which is cultivated to quite an extent, there being some six farms under cultivation. This ridge running through the island was overflowed in 1862 and 1858, but in ordinary high water does not overflow. The landing at this island is bad and would require much labor and heavy expense to make a landing that could be used at all seasons. The low places in the island between the shore and ridge would require filling up or bridging. Island 7 and 8 are small and overflow. Numbers 9 is not to be sent or distinguished from the mainland. Numbers 10 is high and is the only island that does not overflow at extreme high water. It is now garrisoned by a small force of the U. S. Army. The timber on the island could be used for fire - wood but only a small portion of it could be used for building purposed. On the Tennessee shore and in the immediate vicinity of the island there is good timber for building purposed of this island is fast washing away, but from information gained from river men the channel may turn at low water and the island remain without further wash. This, however, cannot be relied upon.

A portion of Island Numbers 10 could be placed under cultivation and be made advantageous to the Government and expense of the prison made light. I would respectfully recommend Island Numbers 10 as the most