repaired and renovated, are now prepared for the reception of 4,000 more prisoners in addition to those already ordered here.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. SCHOEPF,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Post.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 1, 1864.

Honorable JOHN BROUGH, Governor of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's letter of the 24th ultimo, reporting the discovery of the projected attempt of the rebel prisoners in the Ohio penitentiary to escape. Many of these men are ready to take advantage of any chance to escape, however desperate, and I would respectfully suggest the propriety of separating the leading spirits from the others as far as practicable. The prisoner who disclosed the plot is entitled to consideration, and when a proper occasion arrives he should be rewarded.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

U. S. MILITARY PRISON,

Rock Island, Ill., March 1, 1864.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN,

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

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that I have made a renewed inspection of this depot, a report of which I forward herewith. This report has been delayed by a temporary illness which disabled me for three days. I shall leave here probably on the 3rd instant for chicago, for the purpose of ascertaining what steps have been taken to obviate the inconvenience caused by the burning (February 29) of one of the hospital buildings. From thence I shall go to Nashville, Tenn., via Saint Louis, Mo., and Memphis, Tenn. In Saint Louis I shall look for any communication from your office at office of assistant provost-marshal-general.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. M. CLARK,

Surgeon and Acting Medical Inspector of Prisoners of War.

[Inclosure.]

Report of inspection of U. S. military prison, Rock Island, Ill., February 25 and 26, and March 1, 1864.

Total number of prisoners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total sick in hospital March 1 (exclusive of smallpox). . . . 354

Total deaths, February 29 (exclusive of smallpox). . . . . . . . 4

Smallpox cases, March 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420

Smallpox deaths, February 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Smallpox cases (garrison). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Abstract of sick report for February, 1864:

Mean strength (prisoners). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,260

Aggregate sick (including smallpox). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,555

Aggregate deaths (including smallpox). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331

Percentage of deaths to aggregate strength. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0456

Percentage of deaths to aggregate sick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2129