without danger of carrying the smallpox with them. Under existing orders medical officers and chaplains are to be sent beyond our lines and unconditionally released, but as this time the order is suspended, and I have therefore to request you will detain until further orders at Saint Louis or Alton any who may now be held at either of those places.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., July 29, 1863.

Brigadier General W. W. MORRIS,

Commanding Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md:

GENERAL: I am happy to inform you that your recommendation for the erection of barracks for prisoners of war at Fort McHenry has been approved and be necessary orders will be given. I presume the hospital will also be ordered. I forgot to mention to you that I have found the Farmer boiler the most economical and convenient for cooking for prisoners, and I advise you to use them instead of camp-kettles. Those in which the boiler sits inside an outer case are much better than the kind where the boiler is placed on top of the furnace. A boiler of forty gallons and one of fifteen gallons will readily cook for 120 men.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., July 29, 1863.

Surg. J. SIMONS,

De Camp General Hospital, Davids Island, N. Y.:

SIR: I have returned to Captain Morgan, assistant quartermaster, your estimate for clothing for prisoners of war in your hospital, approved with some exceptions. Your estimate calls for full suits of clothing for 1,000 men, and as it is not intended to issue more clothing than in absolutely necessary, I have stricken of the caps, coats, one half the shoes, and three-fourths of the stockings. They all have outer garments such as their own War Department furnishes them, and that must be made to answer them by washing and mending. Your estimate of the 23rd was for a large quantity of these articles-quite, I think, enough to supply their reasonable wants. Please accompany your estimates with explanations, that the necessity may be understood.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Cincinnati, Ohio, July 29, 1863.

General MORGAN, City Prison:

By direction of the general commanding I am desired to say that no privileges will be granted to your command until official intelligence