is strong and close; otherwise we are treated as well as prisoners generally are. We are fed plentifully on army rations or its equivalent and are allowed to purchase good warm citizens' clothes. Our quarters are kept clean and nice. Our means of exercise are rather limited, but notwithstanding that we are in the enjoyment of robust health. There are seventy officers, including General Morgan, confine in this institution. We have been here eighty-odd days and no death occurred amongst us, not but two cases of serious illness. Those two recovered some time since. * * *

G. M. COLEMAN.

HEADQUARTERS SAINT MARY'S DISTRICT,
Point Lookout, Md., October 26, 1863.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners:

COLONEL: Among every lot of prisoners sent from Fort Delaware to this point there have been cases of smallpox. There were twenty-six in the last lot. So many cases create alarm here among the troops and the citizen employees of the Government. I trust no more will be sent here.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GILMAN MARSTON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[First indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

October 27, 1863.

Respectfully referred to the Surgeon-General with the request that he will suggest what measures should be taken to provide for smallpox patients and to prevent the spread of the disease.

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

[Second indorsement.]

SURGEON-GENERAL'S OFFICE, October 27, 1863.

Respectfully returned to Colonel Hoffman, Commissary-General of Prisoners, with the recommendation that no more prisoners of war be transferred from Fort Delaware until the disease has abated. No report has been received at this office of the existence of smallpox at that station. It if should become prevalent, it would become necessary to separate and isolate the prisoners as much as possible.

By order of the Acting Surgeon-General:

C. H. CRANE,

Surgeon, U. S. Army.

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

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

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

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th containing extracts from the report of Surgeon Clark.

I will notice some of them.