for Federal prisoners of war, the committee in charge of the distribution of clothing desire to submit the following statement:

When the committee entered on their duties November 10, only a small supply of clothing had been received at Richmond. To secure an equitable distribution of this to those who were most needy, and to ascertain what future consignments would be required for their comfort, it was deemed advisable to make an inspection of the clothing of all the prisoners. A careful infection was therefore made of all the prisoners of war on Belle Isle and in Richmond, and a record made of the condition of each article of their clothing. While this inspection was in progress issues of blankets and such clothing as had been received were made to those who were most needy. Since the arrival of the last shipment of clothing, November 22, two members of the committee have been constantly engaged in the distribution, which is now almost complete.

The committee is unable to prepare a statement of the amount of clothing issued in time for this communication. Statement entitle will be prepared, however, as soon as possible, of the amount of clothing receive and issued, and to whom issued, and the amount required to fully supply the wants of the prisoners of war now here, a copy of which were respectfully request may be forwarded by flag of truce to the proper U. S. military authorities.

A shipment of clothing is now being made to Danville sufficient to supply the wants of the prisoners of war at that place.

The committee take pleasure in stating that every facility for the inspection of the prisoners and the distribution of the clothing has been afforded them by the Confederate military authorities.

The duties of the committee were limited by the order putting them on duty exclusively to the distribution of clothing. The fact that rations forwarded by the United States Government and by aid societies in the North were being issued to prisoners of war on Belle Isle if members of the committee while in the discharge of the duty assigned them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. VON SCHRADER,

Lieutenant Colonel, Assistant Inspector-General, Fourteenth Army Corps.

H. B. HUNTER,

Lieutenant Colonel One hundred and twenty-third Ohio Infantry Volunteers.

J. F. BOYD,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Quartermaster.

JAMES M. SANDERSON,

Lieutenant Colonel and Commissary of Subsistence, First Army Corps.

COLUMBUS, OHIO, December 4, 1863-3. 45 p. m.

(Received 6. 20 p. m.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

The guard at Camp Chase is entirely inadequate. The number of effective men is about 400 veterans troops; the number of prisoners about 3,000. To supply the deficiency temporarily I have ordered the balance of the Twelfth Cavalry, now at Johnson's Island, to Camp Chase. To provide permanently, I recommend that the Eighty-eighth, now at Cincinnati, which was raised especially for this duty, be ordered back to Camp Chase, and that the Invalid Corps be sent to Cincinnati