WASHINGTON, September 26, 1863.

General S. A. MEREDITH,

Commissioner for the Exchange of Prisoners:

SIR: The proposition submitted as from Mr. Ould, in your letter of the 22nd instant, "that all officers and men on both sides be released, unless there be actual charges against them," &c., is not accepted. The effort to make a distinction between officers serving with different species of troops can receive no countenance whatever.

The existing cartel is sufficient to meet all the demands of the laws of war.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers, &c.

HDQRS. HOFFMAN'S BATT., DEPOT PRISONERS OF WAR,
Near Sandusky, Ohio, September 26, 1863.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: Be kind enough to inform me whether the number of prisoners will remain as large as it now is, in your judgment, any great length of time, whether they will probably be increased, and whether there will be speedy exchange. Your judgment on these points will aid me in a number of matters of importance to this post.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. S. PIERSON,

Lieutenant-Colonel Hoffman's Battalion, Commanding Post.

[Indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, October 3, 1863.

There is no prospect at this time of any further delivery of prisoners on parole, and you should make provision for the winter for as many prisoners as the barracks will accommodate.

Respectfully returned.

W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, September 26, 1863.

Brigadier General S. A. MEREDITH, Agent of Exchange:

SIR: I have this day declared exchanged the following officers and men of the engineer corps and sappers and miners captured and paroled at Vicksburg, to wit: *

Respectfully,

RO. OULD,

Agent of Exchange.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF HENRICO,
Richmond, Va., September 26, 1863.

Lieutenant JOHN LATOUCHE,

Commanding C. S. Military Prison, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: In obedience to instructions received from the Secretary of War in answer to a communication addressed to him September 26,

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*List omitted embraces names of 13 officers and 14 men.

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