general commanding to him on the subject, your attention is respectfully called to the inclosed letter of General Trimble.

Respectfully forwarded.

I. C. BASSETT,

Colonel Eighty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 3.]

HDQRS. HOFFMAN'S BATT., DEPOT PRISONERS OF WAR,
Sandusky, Ohio, January 26, 1864.

Colonel I. C. BASSETT,

Eighty-second Pennsylvania Regiment, Commanding:

COLONEL: I respectfully call your attention to the condition of those prisoners who have made application to take the oath of allegiance.

Many of them have not concealed their sentiments, and the applications of others have become know or strongly suspected. There are also among these prisoners some cases of peculiar hardship. Many of these prisoners are very much afraid of secret assassination, and whether that fear is well founded or not it appears to me hard to keep men any great length of time in so uncomfortable condition if it is really designed to make them subjects of Executive clemency.

In a prison of so many officers of high rank of course the predominant sentiment is so rebellious that persons of different views are subject to much indignity, which will never come to the knowledge of the commanding officer, and it requires great moral courage to act against it, especially when the prisoner can for so long time get no relief.

In case the policy of the Government will not admit o speed action in these cases, and they are to be retained here, I would recommend that the attention of the Commissary-General of Prisoners be called to the propriety of a separate inclosure and barracks being erected for them.

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

WM. S. PEIRSON,

Lieutenant-Colonel Hoffman's Battalion.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Johnson's Island, January 28, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded for the consideration of the general commanding.

In many cases those applying for the oath of allegiance (if detected) are roughly used and their lives threatened by the prisoners to such an extent as to render it necessary to remove those threatened from the inclosure. Such being the case, a separate building is necessary for their protection.

I. C. BASSETT,

Colonel Eighty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, Commanding.

[Second indorsement.]

HDQRS. U. S. FORCES AT SANDUSKY AND JOHNSON'S ISLAND, THIRD DIV., SIXTH ARMY CORPS,
Sandusky, January 30, 1864.

Respectfully sent to the Commissary-General of Prisoners.

The recommendation of Colonel Pierson is fully approved. In the meantime I shall endeavor to give them all the temporary protection possible.

H. D. TERRY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.