recommendation of Captain Clark, that additional store-rooms be provided to receive the winter's supply of subsistence stores.

The order provides very property for all admissible communication with the prisoners and gives ample opportunity for them to receive from their friends such articles as it is proper for them to have. Complaints are continually made of the unkind and harsh manner in which prisoners are treated, but I place no confidence in them until I have proof which cannot be questioned. A few days since I received through Mr. Ould, the rebel agent, a complaint made to their War Department by a sergeant-major who professed to have been a prisoner at Fort Delaware, in which he represented that the prisoners were treated in the most shameful manner. I contradicted the whole thing as being almost wholly devoid of truth, and where there was any foundation for complaint it was so much exaggerated as to leave little semblance of truth. The name of the man could not be found on the rolls, and I even doubt if he had ever been at the fort.

I know it is very difficult to get complete and perfect rolls, and when any discrepancies occur I take it for granted that it is owing to misstatements on the part of the prisoners or some other unavoidable cause, which may be remedied by inquiry.

From present prospects you may expect to have a pretty full complement of prisoners at the fort during the winter and it will be necessary to put up a suitable store-house to receive a supply of provisions, but I can scarcely think it possible that communication with the island will be cut off for two months during the winter. Whatever it may be will have to be provided for, and I think you may estimate for about 8,000 prisoners.

If the fund is sufficiently large to meet the expense it will be very proper to use it in putting up a suitable store-house. It may be used also in the purchase of stoves for the use of the prisoners, or anything else that may be necessary to promote their comfort-blankets, clothing, &c.

As the approaching cold weather will make it necessary that the prisoners should be more warmly clad I would suggest that you forward estimates for a supply of such articles as will be needed.

Your note of 14th was duly received and I wanted to acknowledge it sooner, but many pressing engagements have prevented my doing so.

I hope soon to have the pleasure of making you the visit I have so long had in contemplation, but just now it is quite impossible.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

DEPOT OF PRISONERS,

Johnson's Island, Near Sandusky, Ohio, September 21, 1863.

Honorable ROBERT OULD,

Agent for Exchange of Prisoners, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: Knowing that regular communication between Richmond and the Trans-Mississippi Department has been obstructed I have thought that it would not be improper in me to inform you that General Price proposed to the Federal commanders to exchange the prisoners then in his hands at Little Rock for their equivalent of those captured by the Federals at Helena, to be delivered in that department, and that before I left Saint Louis the prisoners that were at Little Rock had been paroled and were sent to Saint Louis to remain in a parole camp until