debilitated, they wished but to die among their friends, a wish which, unfortunately, will be to on early realized.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. J. RADCLIFFE,

Assistant Surgeon, U. S. Army, Medical Officer of the Day.

MEDICAL INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., November 6, 1863.

SURGEON-GENERAL U. S. ARMY:

SIR: Medical Inspector C. C. Keeney, U. S. Army, reports as follows: Prison at Alton, Ill., in good condition, except the crowding, being less than 200 cubit feet space to each man. He again recommends, in his report on the post hospital at Camp Douglas, Ill, that the surgeon of the post be directed to furnish the sick prisoners with the necessary clothing and bedding. I recommend that this communication be forwarded to the assistant surgeon-general for his information.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO M. CUYLER,

Acting Medical Inspector-General, U. S. Army.

[First indorsement.]

SURGEON-GENERAL'S OFFICE, November 9, 1863.

Respectfully forwarded to Colonel R. C. Wood, assistant surgeon-general, U. S. Army.

By order of the Acting Surgeon-General:

C. H. CRANE,

Surgeon, U. S. Army.

[Second indorsement.]

ASSISTANT SURGEON-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

November 12, 1863.

Respectfully returned to the Surgeon-General.

As there is no authority in this office on the subject-matter of clothing and bedding, I recommend that this communication be referred to the Commissary-General of Prisoners; also the report of the want of room at Alton, Ill.

R. C. WOOD,

Assistant Surgeon-General, U. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS FORT DELAWARE, DEL., November 7, 21863.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

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

COLONEL: Inclosed please find the report of Dr. H. R. Silliman, U. S. Army, post surgeon. When I assumed command of this post I found fourteen cases of smallpox here and it has been prevailing more or less constantly since that time. The remedies adopted by Dr. Silliman will not only prevent its spreading, but will lead to its extinction. It is an important fact that within the last two weeks very few cases have been brought out of the barracks, the majority having come out of the hospital, and the deaths reported are not caused by smallpox alone, but by a combination of diseases. The deaths are rapidly