not to draw coffee, but to call for the green coffee, a good supply of which was always kept on hand. " I am advised that Colonel Kilburn, chief commissary of Department of the Ohio, procured and has a full statement of respective amounts of green and ground coffee actually issued at Camp Douglas. Eighth, very little tea has been drawn and no complaints preferred in regard to it. Ninth, sugar has been of a fair merchantable quality and no deficiency in quantity. Tenth, vinegar, candles, salt, and potatoes have been of a fair merchantable quality and not deficient in quantity. Eleventh, soap, pepper, and molasses have not been deficient in quantity, but have been deficient in quality and such deficiency, except as to pepper prior to November 10, 1863, has inured to the benefit of the contractors. Twelfth, the rations issued to the hospital: Surgeon Whelan testifies that he has examined every issue of rations to the hospital since September 1, 1863, and that they have been of good quality and full weight; that he has had no cause of complaint either in rations or purchases. The latter were promptly furnished of as good quality as the market afforded and at lower prices than he could purchase himself. Complaints have been made and substantiated that the contractors in buying back the rations saved by companies would not pay the contract price. Discovering no obligations on the contractors to buy back the rations, I simply give the fact without comment. Regretting the delay in furnishing this report (which has been unavoidable, however), it is now respectfully submitted.

I have the honor to be, colonel, yours, respectfully,

WM. W. ORME,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[First indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., February 16, 1864.

Respectfully submitted for the information of the Secretary of War.

A statement from the contractors, Messrs. Fowler & Co., with other papers furnished by the, viz, a copy of their contract a certificate of Colonel De Land and other officers, and the affidavit of James M. Horsford, clerk in the subsistence department, are also herewith submitted. It appears from the report of Brigadier-General Orme that all the stores furnished by Fowler & Co. were of good quality and not deficient in quantity, except in the article of beef, which was deficient in quality and quantity from 20 to 40 per cent., and in the articles of soap and molasses, which were deficient in quality, and I would respectfully recommend that the contractors be required to make good in money the deficiencies in beef, soap, and molasses, at such rates as may be determined by Brigadier-General Orme, this money to be paid into the post fund or the prison fund, according as the deficiency rations were due to the troops or the prisoners of war. It is due to the contractors to say that it does not appear to have been their wish or their intention that there should be any deficiencies in the beef. This must be attributed to their sub-contractors. There has been great neglect in the officers at Camp Douglas who had the matter in charge, more particularly Colonel De Land, whose duty as the commanding officer and as inspector under the contract require shim to see that his command received the rations which they were entitled to under the contract, and for his neglect of this duty I respectfully recommend that he be brought before a court-martial.

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

59 R R-SERIES II, VOL VI