Colonel Ludlow informs me that Doctor Rucker is charged with house stealing, murder, and acting as guide for bodies of armed men, but the does not give the time or place.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., July 7, 1863.

Captain E. M. CAMP,

Assistant Quartermaster, Washington, D. C.:

CAPTAIN: The Secretary of War directs that the female prisoners recently arrived from Richmond, who are now at the United States Hotel, in this city, be at once discharged, and you will therefore please notify them of this order, that they may take the necessary steps to provide for themselves.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

FORT MONROE, July 7, 1863.

Colonel J. C. KELTON:

I respectfully ask the instruction of the General-in-Chief as to what shall be done with the many cases of prisoners of war who desire to take the oath of allegiance to the United States; also, deserters who express same desire?

W. H. LUDLOW,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Agent for Exchange of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA,
Fort Monroe, July 7, 1863.

Colonel J. C. KELTON, Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the communication of the General-in-Chief of the 2nd instant, and inclosing a copy of report of General Rosecrans upon General Bragg's letter. *

I have before, in accordance with instructions, called the attention of the Confederate authorities to the outrages complained of, but have not yet received from them the promised reply. I will renew my demand. I have also demanded the release of the officers of Colonel Streight's command, as per correspondence inclosed. + I have also met the issue as presented by the act of the Confederate Congress, as per correspondence also inclosed, copies of which were furnished to the Secretary of War.

I am informed, unofficially, that the charges against the officers of Colonel Streight's command are unfounded. The Confederate authorities are evidently very much embarrassed as to what course to take to extricate themselves from the dilemma imposed by the passage of their act of Congress above referred to. The first sections of this act, you may recollect, nullified in express terms the proclamation of Jefferson Davis, and the subsequent sections, apparently designed as a "tub to

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* See Vol. V, this series, p. 769.

+ Ibid., pp. 737, 745.

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