remainder about daybreak on the morning of the 11th, two of whom were recaptured. The tunnel had been opened beneath a bunk in the east end of Barrack G, and had escaped the observation of the inspecting officer, the prisoners having concealed it by replacing and nailing down the boards immediately over it each day. The outlet of the tunnel was under the guard walk and concealed from the sentinel by it. The prison barracks are carefully inspected each day by an officer especially charged with that duty, and as an additional precaution a patrol is constantly on duty during the night to see that the prisoners retire to their quarters at the proper hour and that nothing of an unusual character occurs. The tunnel in question was about eleven feet in length, and from information since received was several weeks in construction, the dirt from it being carefully conveyed in buckets mixed with ashes from the stoves and the sweepings from the floors of their quarters while policing each morning. I would respectfully state that since the above occurrence four similar attempts at tunneling have been made in different localities of the prison, each of which was unsuccessful.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. A. STEVENS,

Colonel, Commanding Camp Morton.

[Indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 21, 1864.

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War for his information. Colonel Stevens is a reliable and attentive officer ad will spare no efforts to prevent the escape of prisoners.

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,

Nashville, Tenn., March 13, 1864.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN,

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

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that I have made a thorough inspection of the State penitentiary and the several U. S. Army general hospitals at this post where prisoners of war are detained, a detailed report of which I forward herewith. I shall leave here to-morrow a. m. for Memphis, Tenn. I wrote you from this place on the 11th instant, acknowledging receipt of telegram of 9th instant, and reporting movements.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. M. CLARK,

Surgeon and Acting Medical Inspector of Prisoners of War.

[Inclosure.]

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,

Nashville, Tenn., March 13, 1864.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN,

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

COLONEL: I have the honor to make the following report of inspection of the penitentiary and the several hospitals at this post where