statement giving the names of officers and the strength of commands covered by this declaration. * These will be some assistance to you in distinguishing among prisoners of war who may fall into your hands those who have violated their paroles, if there be any such. In cases of doubt, by a reference to the records in this office names and other particulars may be obtained which will serve to identify such offenders. I have the honor to inclose also a copy of a communication from the acting medical inspector-general in relation to the condition of the hospital at Corinth, Miss., where there are prisoners of war. + To meet such cases I have the honor to inclose herewith copies of regulations issued from this office by authority of the War Department, which provide for the care of prisoners and the furnishing such clothing as may be required for them. ++ May I request of you to have these regulations distributed to the different places where prisoners of war are held, and to require commanders to make to this office the required reports, returns, &c. Please call attention for the convenience of providing for them to have prisoners of war collected together as much as possible, and I have respectfully to request that some point on the Mississippi may be designated for this purpose, and that I may be is contemplated that prisoners of war will be generally held at the depots established in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, but there must necessarily be a great many captured in small parties, and many wounded must fall into our hands as the army advances, who must be collected at some convenient point from which they can be transferred to the principal depots. As soon as they reach the temporary depot they should be reported to this office, with a carefully prepared roll, giving the rank, regiment, and company, and time and place of capture. All necessary blanks will be furnished from this office as soon as I am informed where they are required.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., November 6, 1863.

Brigadier General S. A. MEREDITH,

Commissioner for the Exchange of Prisoners:

SIR: Your communication of the 29th ultimo #has been received, forwarding what purports to be a tabular statement of the number of valid paroles claimed by Mr. Ould, with a copy of his letter accompanying it to yourself, of the 27th ultimo.

This tabular statement covers a claim to 18,867 paroles of Federal troops, without distinction of grade, no officers or non-commissioned officers being forty-four places where captures were made, with the captured being carried out in figures.

This statement may include some prisoners captured and paroled according to the laws of war; but, if so, it is impossible to distinguish

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*See foot-note, p. 470.

+See November 2, p. 458.

++See Vol. IV, this series, p. 152.

#Not found, but see Ould to Meredith, October 27, p. 430.

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