officers, 4; total Federal soldiers, 92; total rebel soldiers, 659; total civilians, 207; aggregate, 962. The Murtle Street prison has accommodation for about 100 prisoners, but an addition is being built which will increase this to about 130. The Gratiot Street prison will accommodate about 900. In the lower room of the central building of this prison, and containing some 50 prisoners, no bunks are provided for the use of the prisoners, who are thus obliged to spread their bedding on the stone floor, which is frequently damp, thus tending to produce disease. Abundant bathing and washing facilities are provided at this prison, and the prisoners look well and clean, in contrast to those confined in the Myrtle Street prison, where these facilities are extremely limited, the rooms small, not ventilated, and over crowned, while the prison itself is located in the heart of the city, lower than the surrounding buildings, and altogether unsuited for the purpose for which it is used. The reports of these two prisons are combined, as they are but branches of the same prison, and under command of the same officer, Captain C. C. Byrne, First Missouri Volunteers. The keeper of the Myrtle Street prison is very much less qualified for his post than is the keeper of the Gratiot Street prison. All imperishable articles purchased from the prison or hospital funds are kept invoiced, ready to be accounted for. In other respects the requirements of the circular appear to be well carried out.

A. M. CLARK,

Surgeon and Acting Medical Inspector of Prisoners of War.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND., October 21, 1863.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN,

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

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith my report of medical inspection of Benton Barracks, near Saint Louis, Mo., October 19, 1863.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. M. CLARK,

Surgeon and Acting Medical Inspector of Prisoners of War.

[Inclosure.]

Report of inspection of camp and field hospital at Benton Barracks, near Saint Louis, Mo., October 19, 1863, by A. M. Clark, surgeon and acting medical inspector of prisoners of war.

Designation of camp - Benton Barracks. Commander of camp - Colonel B. L. E. Bonneville, U. S. Army. Command and strength - guard, Eleventh Missouri Cavalry, 40 men; Federal paroled prisoners, 63. Location of camp - four miles and a half northwest of Saint Louis, Mo. Time occupied - about two years. Water, source and supply - abundant, from river by city water-works. Water, quality and effects - good. Fuel - coal for heating, wood for cooking purposes. Soil - loam on sand, readily stirred up into mud. Drainage - generally good, by wooden drains of sufficient size, but which open too near the camp. Topography - prairie land. Meteoroly - much rain. Police of camp - could not be better. Tents or hunts, position - barracks arranged on north and south sides of an oblong square. Tents or huts, pattern and quality - both very good; ten barracks, each calculated for ten companies of 100 men with the company officers. Tents or huts, ventilation - well provided for, by hinged shutters along eaves, ventilators in roof, and