General Banks might be permitted to use as many of those men as would cancel the number received by him under his recent cartel.

We claim that, independently of the men paroled at Mobile, the rebels were indebted to us, on just principles, several thousand men released from their parole by Mr. Ould from among those captured by General Grant at Vicksburg; and in my judgment we ought not to yield our claim to the prisoners paroled at Mobile without receiving proper equivalents.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers, Commissioner of Exchange.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 30, 1864.

Major General B. F. Butler,

Commissioner for Exchange, Fort Monroe, Va.:

GENERAL: Much inconvenience has been experienced on the delivery of paroled prisoners at Annapolis, Md., in consequence of the hurried manner in which they have been obliged to land from the steamer. At no time has the roll of prisoners delivered been called on their delivery, and the consequence has been much difficulty in comparing the men with the names on the rolls.

I have, therefore, the honor to request that the steamer may be ordered to remain at Annapolis, Md., until the sick can be comfortably transferred to the hospital, and a careful roll-call of the command can be made. Many false names are given, and without this roll it is almost impossible to detect them.

There are in this city and at Fort Delaware some five or six prisoners of war more or less insane, whom it would be a relief to us to send to City Point, and there are some twenty or thirty invalids at the West Buildings Hospital, in Baltimore, whom it would be as well to deliver at the same point; and if you approve it, I will forward them as soon as arrangements can be made for the purpose.

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

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 30, 1864.

Brigadier General G. MARSTON,

Commanding District of Saint Mary's, Point Lookout, Md.:

GENERAL: I desire respectfully to call your attention to the character of some of the purchases made with the prison fund at Point Lookout, Md. On the last account is a charge for $500 worth of mackerel charged in the bill for vegetables. Such a purchase is not authorized by the regulations, but though irregular the expenditure might be allowed if by the issues of the mackerel a saving of some part of the ration had been made by which fully to reimburse to the fund the expense incurred. It appears, though, from charges which I have seen against Captain Cook, the mackerel, though purchased with public money, were sold by him to the prisoners or others as being private property. I would therefore beg to call your attention to the fact that nothing is to be purchased with the fund which is not absolutely necessary for the welfare of the prisoners or for some purpose connected with them which