medicines, for the sum of $50 per month. This officer appears to be perfectly competent and to perform his duties well. No hospital room is specially provided for the prisoners, but the surgeon informs me that as yet none has been needed, no sickness of consequence having occurred. In case of necessity, it is proposed to use one or more of the double cells for hospital purposes, for which they are very well calculated. The prisoners are contended and admirably well cared for. They are clean both in person and in clothing, there being a steam laundry attached to the prison. In conclusion, I would say that in my opinion the condition of these prisoners of war is excellent and could not well be improved.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. M. CLARK,

Surgeon and Acting Medical Inspector of Prisoner of War.

WASHINGTON, D. C., November 7, 1863.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN,

Third U. S. Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners:

SIR: I have the honor to inclose my report of medical inspection of Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio, October 31, 1863. I have the honor to report that I also visited the Ohio penitentiary at Columbus, where John H. Morgan and a number of his officers are confined. I was refused admission by the warden of the prison on your order, and was referred to General Mason, commanding the district, for the required order. This, considering it as a contravention of your circular, I declined doing, and consequently was unable to inspect the quarters of the prisoners there confined.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. M. CLARK,

Surgeon and Acting Medical Inspector of Prisoner of War.

[Inclosure.]

Report of inspection of Camp Chase and hospital near Columbus, Ohio, October 31, 1863; A. M. Clark, surgeon and acting medical inspector of prisoners of war.

Officer in command - Colonel Wallace, Invalid Corps; of division for prisoner of war, Lieutenant Colonel A. H. Poten, Invalid Corps; of division for paroled prisoners, Captain Davis, Eighty-eighth Ohio Volunteers. Location - four miles west of Columbus, Ohio. Command and strength - prisoners of war, rebel soldiers 2,072, civilians 131, females 2; total 2,145; Federal paroled prisoners, 38; exchanged men, 306; guard, 626, Invalid Corps. Topography - land nearly perfectly flat. Drainage - very bad. Prison buildings - very good, except in ventilation, which is only provided for by door and two small windows in each barrack. Wards - hospital, one, utterly insufficient in capacity, poorly ventilated, and in need of repair. Capacity - for prisoners of war, 3,000; Federal paroled prisoners, 3,000; prison hospital, 25 patients; paroled, prison hospital, 100 patients. Number of patients - prisoners, 15; paroled prisoners, none. Patients, condition of - tolerably good. Blankets and bedding - sufficient and clean. Police of hospital - not very good. General condition of prisoners - good. Ventilation - utterly unprovided for in barracks; insufficient in hospital. Warming - sufficient, by stoves.