HEADQUARTERS MILITARY PRISON,
Camp Morton, Indianapolis, Ind., February 10, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 3rd instant requesting a fuller investigation and report of the facts connected with the shooting of Goacin Arcemant, prisoner of war at this camp, January 16, 1864. In compliance therewith I inclose a report embracing all the facts I have been enabled to obtain by a strict investigation of the case in question.

Hoping that the evidence therein contained will be satisfactory,

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

A. A. STEVENS,

Colonel, Commanding Camp Morton.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS CAMP MORTON, IND., February 9, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,
Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the shooting of Goacin Arcemant, prisoner of war, by a sentinel of the guard at this camp on the morning of the 16th of January, 1864. The occurrence took place at 1. 30 a. m. at post Numbers 20 on the guard line, near the northwestern angle of the prison inclosure and between the north end of Barracks A and the fence. (See plat of Camp Morton, by Captain R. M. Littler.) Lieutenant Tyndale, officer of the guard, states that owing to the fact that several prisoners at different times had escaped at that point he had given the guards in that vicinity strict orders to permit no prisoners to come out of the door in the north end of Barracks A, or to pass between said barracks and the fence, or to approach the fence anywhere in that vicinity nearer than twenty feet. These were also the standing orders of the prison, with which the prisoners are well acquainted. George Mudge, Company A, Invalid Corps Regiment, the sentinel on duty at post 20, states that he had been annoyed repeatedly during his tour of duty by prisoners coming out of the barracks and approaching the fence, contrary to the orders above mentioned; that on being ordered to return to quarters they would obey, but immediately repeat the offense; that the deceased had quitted Barracks A by the door above mentioned, and was proceeding in quick time I the direction of the northwestern angle of the inclosure, when, in obedience to instructions, he ordered him to halt and return to his quarters. The prisoner made some answer (not understood), but did not obey. On the order being repeated, and the prisoner still refusing to obey, the guard fired and immediately called the number of his post.

James Pittullo, company A, fifth Invalid Corps Regiment, on being sworn, states that he was on post 21 when the shooting occurred; that he saw prisoners come out of the barracks, seven or eight at a time, and heard post 20 order them back to quarters. Approach the northwestern angle of the inclosure in quick time. Heard the sentinel on post 20 order him to halt. He did not obey. The sentinel after a short pause repeated the order. The deceased still moved on. the sentinel then cocked his piece, when the prisoner, as if hearing the click, stopped, and the guard fired at the same instant.

Asa C. Mason, Thirty-eighth Company Invalid Corps, on being sworn, states that he was on post 19 when the shooting took place; that he