OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., May 20, 1863.

Major General JOHN A. DIX, Fort Monroe, Va.

GENERAL: The following are extracts* from a letter to-day addressed to Lieutenant-Colonel Ludlow, commissioner for exchanged of prisoners, in relation to paroling of prisoners of war, to be laid before the Confederate commissioner, as the rule which will govern the U. S. armies in the field.

There may be cases of a subsequent date when from peculiar circumstances it would be advisable to recognize irregular paroles, but in all such cases a special report with full rolls of the parties should be forwarded to this office as early as practicable.

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

(Copies of above letter sent to Major General U. S. Grant, commanding Department of the Tennessee; Major General J. M. Schofield, commanding Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo. ; Major General W. S. Rosecrans, commanding, Murfreesborough, Tenn. ; Major General N. P. Banks, commanding Department of the Gulf, New Orleans, La. ; Major General Joseph Hooker, commanding Army of the Potomac; Major General A. E. Burnside, commanding Department of the Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio; Major General S. P. Heintzelman, commanding Defenses of Washington, Washington, D. C., and Major General R. C. Schenck, commanding Eighth Army Corps, Baltimore, Md.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., May 20, 1863.

Major General S. P. HEINTZELMAN,

Commanding Defense of Washington, D. C.

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose herewith communications+ from Colonel W. G. Veazey, Sixteenth Vermont Volunteers, commanding at Union Mills; Lieutenant Colonel H. H. Wells, provost-marshal-general, Alexandria; Captain W. D. Munson, provost-marshal, Union Mills, and Captain E. M. Camp, commanding Soldiers' Rest, all covering paroles given by individual officers or soldiers in violation of General Orders, No. 49, current series, and are therefore void, and I am directed by the General-in-Chief to order these men to report to you to be proceeded against as you may direct. By the cartel all prisoners of war are to be delivered and paroled at certain named places and when this provision of the cartel is violate the paroles so given are invalid; but this does not relieve those who give such paroles from the penalties for violating General Orders, No. 49.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, May 20,[1863.]

Lieutenant Colonel W. H. LUDLOW,

Agent for Exchange of Prisoners, Fort Monroe, Va.

COLONEL: I inclose herewith General Orders, Nos. 49++ and 100, current series, announcing regulations and instructions for the government

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*Extracts omitted here; see Hoffman to Ludlow, following.

+Not found.

++Omitted here; see p. 306.

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