lodged with provost-marshal when the prisoners are delivered into their custody.

Military commissions will be convened at the headquarters of each brigade of this division for the trial of citizens upon the charges and specifications os prepared.

The provost-marshal will present the charges and specifications to those commissions and secure the attendance of the witnesses named.

Every effort will be made to secure an early hearing of each case.

By order of Brigadier General William S. Smith, commanding First Division, Sixteenth Army Corps:

W. H. HARLAND,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., May 23, 1863.

Major-General HITCHCOCK, Washington.

GENERAL: I have just received your indorsement on the letter of Governor Morton in regard to newspaper statements that the enemy had refused to parole certain prisoners of war in accordance with the stipulations of the cartel. I fully concur with you in regard to the proposed retaliation but I think a direct and positive demand should be made upon Mr. Ould for the execution of the cartel in regard to these prisoners before any further action should be decided upon.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., May 23, 1863.

Major General J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Commanding Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.

GENERAL: By direction of the General-in-Chief I have the honor to request that you will order all prisoners of war now held at Saint Louis or Alton to be forwarded for delivery at City Point, Va. This order embraces all military organizations, guerrillas and others, and if there are any of this class held on charges of an indefinite character or on which they cannot be immediately tried I request that may be included among those sent forward. I inclose a list* of some such cases found on the files of this office.

The Confederate authorities complain that we retain in our prison prisoners of war who have been exchanged, and it is desirable that they should have no shadow of ground to accuse us of bad faith. Please direct that the quartermaster at Baltimore be notified of the time when they will reach that city in order that he may have a steamer ready to take them directly on board. In consequence of the prevalence heretofore of the smallpox at the prison it will be necessary to take every proper precaution to prevent the spread of the disease along the route. It is possible that before this order can be put in force it will be possible to deliver prisoners at Vicksburg or some other point on the river, and in that case I have to request you will inform me by telegraph.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

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*Not found.

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