OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 11, 1864.

Brigadier General H. D. TERRY,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Sandusky, Ohio:

GENERAL: By authority of the Secretary of War I have respectfully to inform you that boxes containing nothing hurtful or contraband, sent to prisoners of war by their families or friends, may be delivered, and I request this permission may be put in force at Johnson's Island. Any uniform clothing or equipments of any kind for military service, weapons of all kinds and intoxicating liquors are among contraband articles. Any excess of clothing over what is required for immediate use is contraband.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

(Same to Brigadier General G. Marston, commanding Depot Prisoners of War, Point Lookout, Md. ; Brigadier General A. Schoepf, commanding Fort Delaware, Del. ; Colonel A. J. Johnson, commanding Depot Prisoners of War, Rock Island; Colonel William Weer, commanding Military Prison, Alton, Ill. ; Colonel A. A. Stevens, commanding Camp Morton, Indianapolis, Ind. ; Colonel W. P. Richardson, commanding Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio; Lieutenant Colonel M. Burke, commanding Fort Lafayette, New York Harbor; Colonel P. A. Porter, commanding Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md. ; Brigadier General W. W. Orme, commanding Camp Douglas, Ill. ; Major Stephen Cabot, commanding Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, Mass. ; Captain S. E. Jones, provost-marshal, Louisville, Ky., and Colonel J. P. Sanderson, provost-marshal-general, Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.)

FORT DELAWARE, March 11, 1864.

Brigadier General A. SCHOEPF,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Fort Delaware, Del.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose you a letter from Honorable E. M. Bruce, member of Congress from Kentucky, received by me this day, in which he states that arrangements have been made to effect a special exchange for myself, and that if I am sent to City Point a Federal officer of equal rank, provided there be no special reasons against his exchange, may be selected by the Federal authorities from the prisoners at Richmond. I will be greatly obliged, general, if you will call the attention of the proper officer of your Government to this proposition, that I may be allowed to proceed to City Point in accordance with it.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

BASIL W. DUKE,

Colonel, C. S. Army, Prisoner of War.

[First indorsement.]

FORT DELAWARE, March 11, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Colonel Hoffman.

A. SCHOEPF,

Brigadier-General.

[Second indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, March 16, 1864.

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War.

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.