cartel under which the exchange was effected, has been received at this office. With the papers accompanying your letter are two lists, one of 449 paroled men, Federal troops, and one of 251 exchanged Federal troops, including officers and enlisted men, with a list of the rebel equivalents for whom they were exchanged. The list of rebel prisoners sent North, which you mention, has not been received at this office, nor have I been informed of the arrival of any prisoners of war captured in Western Louisiana. The only prisoners received at New York from your department are 222 officers captured at Port Hudson. I am therefore unable to designate the prisoners whom you desire to be returned for delivery in exchange for Federal troops received on parole as required by the cartel.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 22, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel M. P. SMALL,

Commissary of Subsistence, Fort Monroe, Va.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th instant* in relation to the rations to be issued to prisoners of war. In establishing the scale which accompanied my circular of the 7th of July, 1862, as it was somewhat experimental, I left it to some extent at the discretion of the commanding officer to make such modifications as might be found necessary. At Point Lookout some articles of the rations have been reduced below the scale, but this has been made up by the purchase of vegetables and other articles, and I have therefore not thought it necessary to interfere. The fund at Point Lookout is very large, much of it very properly remaining as a credit against the subsistence department, but this credit is not shown by the accounts may show not only the amount of money on hand, but also the amount due from the subsistence department, and this account should be carried forward from month to month. No instructions have been issued recently in regard to the issue of rations, except a few days since to make the ration of potatoes conform to the regulations. It has been a little in excess, but I am preparing ration regulations on this subject which will probably go into effect on the 1st of May and will provide a full system of accountability.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Columbia, March 22, 1864.

General THOMAS JORDAN, Chief of Staff, Charleston, S. C.:

GENERAL: I am instructed by the Governor to acknowledge the receipt of a list of the negroes captured on Morris Island in July, 1863, and January of the present year, and to inform you that the jailer of Charleston district has been ordered to hold them as State prisoners

---------------

*Omitted.

---------------