[AUGUST 12, 1863. - For Halleck to Grant, in relation to the treatment of colored troops and of while officers of such troops, see Series I, Vol. XXIV, Part III, p. 589.]

[AUGUST 12, 1863. - For Schofield to Blunt and other district commander in the Department of the Missouri, in relation to treatment of Confederate prisoners of war, see Series I, Vol. XXII, Part II, p. 447.]

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, August 12, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel C. A. REYNOLDS,

Assistant Quartermaster, Rock Island, Ill.:

The barracks for prisoners at Rock Island should be put up in the roughest and cheapest manner-mere shanties, with no fine work about them, and the work should, if possible, be done by contract and in the shortest possible time. Have you made contracts? The fewer superintendents the better. Report by telegraph.

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., August 12, 1863.

Commodore W. D. PORTER, U. S. Navy,

Glen Cove, Long Island:

SIR: Your letter of the 4th instant, addressed to General Halleck, calling attention to the case of Mr. S. Kellogg, fourth master of the Essex, a prisoners at Richmond, has been referred to this office, and I have the honor to inform you that he is confined in Castle Thunder under charges of being a spy and a deserter. Assurances are given that the shall have the speediest possible trial, and if the charges are not sustained he will be delivered up. He has already been exchanged.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

MEDICAL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE,

Fort Monroe, August 12, 1863.

Brigadier General H. M. NAGLEE,

Commanding Seventh Army Corps:

SIR: I have the honor to report that I have carefully inspected the jail at Norfolk and the prison at Fort Norfolk in accordance with your order. In order to put the jail in a sanitary condition and keep it so it will be necessary to have it thoroughly cleaned and whitewashed and more frequently and thoroughly policed. Although the condition of the prison at Fort Norfolk has been improved of late, yet is if highly important that the policy be more effectually and frequently done. In both instances the necessary improvements were pointed out to the officer in charge. I would also respectfully call your attention to the necessity for more thorough policing of the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth. The streets of these cities are far from being in a heathy condition, and in my opinion the prevalence of the diseases peculiar to