delivered there should be a clear understanding with Mr. Ould that he will furnish in return as full rolls of all officers held in their prisoners, and of all deaths of our officers and soldiers which have occurred in Richmond or elsewhere. The list of deaths Mr. Ould has furnished falls very far short of what we have a right to expect. He has received lists of thousands, while he returns less than hundreds.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, HDQRS. IN THE FIELD,

Folly Island, S. C., December 29, 1863.

Major General E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Commissioner of Exchange of Prisoners:

GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith the reports of commanding officers of colored regiments serving in this department, as requested in your letter of the 2nd instant.

The statement of Colonel Tilghman, Third U. S. Colored Troops, in relation to the body of one of his men having been tied to a torpedo, embodies the substance of a rumor which was at one time credited, but soon after disproved by the testimony of the engineer and other officers who were on the spot.

I am satisfied that Colonel Tilghman's information on the subject is erroneous, and for the purpose of placing in your possession all the information to be had upon the subject, I inclose an extract from the journal of siege operations on Maoris Island, prepared by Major T. B. Brooks, aide-de-camp, who was the engineer in charge at the point where the man was killed. *

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Q. A. GILLMORE,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

HDQRS. FIFTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS,
Morris Island, S. C., December 13, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel E. W. SMITH, Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: In compliance with your letter dated December 12, 1863, I have the honor to make the following report:

Since this regiment reported for duty in this department the following casualties have occurred:

Field and staff. -Morris Island, July 18, 1863: Colonel R. G. Shaw, killed; Lieutenant Colonel E. N. Hallowell, Adjt. G. W. James, wounded.

Line officers. -Morris Island, July 18, 1863: Wounded, 9; missing, 2 (Capts. W. H. Simpkins, C. J. Russell).

Enlisted men. -James Island, July 16, 1863: Killed, 14; wounded, 18; missing, 13. Morris Island, July 18, 1863: Killed, 20; wounded, 125; missing, 102. In trenches on Morris Island since July 18, 1863: Killed, 4; wounded, 4.

Being wounded during the action on Morris Island July 18, 1863, I was precluded from getting positive evidence at the moment of what the officers and men saw of the taking of prisoners and leaving of wounded on the ground, but the observations of Mr. Trumbull, chaplain

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* See Series I, Vol. XXVIII, Part I, p. 296.

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