HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EASTERN KENTUCKY,
Louisa, Ky., May 12, 1863.

Brigadier General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

SIR: In accordance with General Orders, Numbers 44, of the War Department, series of 1861, I have the honor to state that Lewis Wells, residing in Lawrence County, Ky. ; James Johnson, residing in Lawrence County, Ky., and Elijah Johnson, residing in Lawrence County, Ky., prisoners of war, have been released upon giving bond and taking the oath of allegiance.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JULIUS WHITE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., May 12, 1863.

Colonel E. A. PARROTT,

Actg. Asst. Provost-Marshal-General for Ohio, Columbus, Ohio.

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 6th instant and to state in reply that the enrollment act does not authorize the arrest by provost-marshals of persons charged with disloyalty; neither does it give them power to take cognizance of disloyal practices except such as may come under the specifications of the twenty-fifth section of the enrollment act. If persons charged with disloyalty can be proved to be spies they will be arrested, confined and dealt with as prescribed by section 7. Your action in forwarding communications touching disloyal practices in the State of Ohio to the major-general commanding the department and in the other matters reported in your communication is approved.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., May 12, 1863.

Brigadier General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose herewith copies of my letters* of the 1st and 10th of July last in relation to the condition of Camp Douglas at that time, with the request that they may be considered with my letter of the 20th ultimo on the same subject.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., May 12, 1863.

Honorable JOSEPH HOLT, Judge-Advocate-General.

SIR: I have the honor to report the facts and circumstances of the arrest of Mr. George A. Lawrence (British subject), which you will find

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*Omitted here; see Vol. IV, this Series, pp. 110, 166.

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