Montgomery, and twenty-eight of the crew of that steamer, who were captured along with him by Confederate cavalry near Georgetown, S. C., on the 7th of January last?

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours, &c.,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General and Commissioner for Exchange.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 4, 1864.

Major General GEORGE H. THOMAS,

Commanding Department of the Cumberland, Chattanooga, Tenn.:

GENERAL: Please understand my letter of the 19th instant, in relation to hospital stewards, as applying only to the case of Hospital Steward Charles Whilan. The rule will not be adopted as general until it is ascertained that it will be observed by the authorities at Richmond.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS, Branchville, S. C., March 24, 1864.

General S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector-General, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: In accordance with Special Orders, Numbers 59, from Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, received March 22, I have the honor to make the following report: Number of Federal prisoners receipted for up to March 20, 6,488; number escaped, 12; number died, 2; number left sick on the way, 117.

Six escaped February 27 between Macon and Millen, Ga., during the night, by a hole cut in the end of the car. There was no light in the car, the train not being supplied with lights. Their names were not obtained. Six escaped March 20, near Windsor Station, South Carolina Railroad, at night, through a hole in the floor of the car, the train not being supplied with lights. Of these last, four have been recaptured, namely, John A. Provines, privates Company H, Thirtieth Indiana Regiment; John Ryan, teamster, Fifteenth Army Corps; Hy. Johnson, teamster, Fifteenth Army Corps; one man whose name has not been obtained.

The names of the two others are unknown. One died March 15 at a wood station near Macon, Ga., and was buried there, no receipt being taken for the corpse. One died March 26 at Macon, Ga. The names of the two dead are unknown.

List of sick Federal prisoners left at Augusta, Ga., for medical treatment. *

In addition to above, fifteen convalescents, whose names were not obtained, were removed from Augusta to Andersonville, Ga., on the last trip. I would respectfully state that having originally received no instructions to that effect, the names, rank, &c., of prisoners who died, escaped, or were left on the road through sickness, have not been usually obtained by the officers in charge. Indeed, it is generally impossible to do so without such delay as would cause the failure of

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*List omitted contains 102 names.

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