since May, 1863, and that he was directed by Captain Edwards to oversee the issuing of ration sat Camp Douglas, with special reference to their quality and the amount furnished to those entitled to draw the same; that he had been in the discharge of this duty during the entire time since the arrival of prisoners of war at Camp Douglas, in August, 1863, seldom being absent from the commissary department during the hours of issuing rations; that he has given his attention to the quality of the rations, and in a few cases when inferior articles were delivered at the commissary building he knows that the same were promptly rejected and sent out of camp by Mr. King, the agent of E. S. Fowler & Co., special contractors; that but few complaints have ever been made of the quality of the rations, and in such cases the agents or clerks have uniformly arranged the matter to the satisfaction of all concerned; that he has frequently heard Mr. McGinnis (one of the firm of E. S. fowler & Co.) give directions to the agents and clerks to issue none but good rations and such as were required by the contract; that in the discharge of his duties at Camp Douglas he has frequently had occasion to converse with the commissary-sergeants, to whom rations were issued, relative to the same, and has not had any serious complaints made to him of the quality or quantity of the rations furnished; that by this statement he does not wish to be understood that minor complaints have not been made, as for instance, such as an occasional barrel of pork having been opened after being issued and found unsound, but he declares that in very such case, according to his best knowledge and belief, the articles thus found of inferior quality have been promptly taken back an sent out of camp and the parties to whom they were issued supplied fully with good articles in return therefor; that it has bee his duty to see that the prisoners of war and others drawing rations at the commissary department were justly and honorably dealt with, and has to the best of his ability given faithful attention thereto, and believes they have received just and proper rations, both in quality and quantity, at all times.

JAMES M. HORSFORD,

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11th day of January, A. D. 1863.

T. B. BROWN,

Justice of the Peace.

[Sub-inclosure Numbers 3.]

Articles of agreement entered into this 10th day of November, 1863, between Ninian W. Edwards, captain and commissary of subsistence in the U. S. volunteer service, on the one part, and John McGinnis, Jr., Edwin S. Fowler, Edward L. Baker, and Roswell E. Goodell, all of Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, doing business under the name and firm of John McGinnis, Jr.,& Co. this agreement witnesseth that the said Ninian W. Edwards, for and on behalf of the United states of America, and the said John McGinnis, Jr., Edwin S. Fowler, Edward L. Baker, and Roswell E. Goodell, their heirs, executors, and administrators, have covenanted and agree with each other as follows, to wit:

First. that the said John McGinnis, Jr., Edwin S. Fowler, Edward L. Baker, of and Roswell E. Goodell, their heirs, executors, and administrators, shall supply or cause to be supplied and issued at any post or place in the Military District of Illinois (except in the county of Sangamon and the general hospital at Quincy), commencing in the county of