contract should be reported by the officer in charge. The time in which the journey is to be made should be stated. Send one ordinary roll with the party, one to be retained by the officer in charge to be receipted by the officer who receives the prisoners, and one to this office. Let them be furnished with cooked rations for the journey, and if they are detained at Baltimore please direct the officer in charge to report to the provost-marshal. The quartermaster in that city should have notice of the time when they will arrive that he may have transportation prepared for them. No prisoner who is likely to be well enough for service soon will be sent with this party as an invalid. Please inform me by telegraph the strength of the party and when it shall leave.

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., April 16, 1864.

Colonel A. J. JOHNSON,

Commanding Depot Prisoners of War, Rock Island, Ill.:

COLONEL: I learn by the report of Surgeon Clark that three of the barracks within the prison inclosure are used for distributing store-houses for the quartermaster and commissary. Neither quartermaster nor commissary stores should be kept within the prison, and you will therefore immediately vacate these three buildings and appropriate them to the purpose for which they were erected, viz, as barracks for prisoners. I understand that the General-in-Chief ordered quarters to be built for the Thirty-seventh Iowa, and the barracks which they now occupy inside the inclosure will be vacated as soon as possible. The buildings inside the inclosure should be appropriated exclusively to the use of the prisoners, and all cross fences inside should be removed at the earliest practicable day. Please inform me when you will be able to do this.

Surgeon Clark reports to me that very inferior can bread has been issued to the prisoners. Hereafter you will permit corn bread to be issued but once in six days, and then only after an inspection of it by a medical officer and found to be of a wholesome quality. Please inform me how many days in the week corn bread has been issued and on what terms it is substituted for flour. Hereafter have a weekly report made by the officer in immediate charge of the prisoners of the condition of the police of the barracks, hospitals, outhouses and grounds and forward it to this office with your remarks. Keep me advised at these times of al that you are doing to keep the depot in a creditable condition.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS ROCK ISLAND BARRACKS,
Rock Island, Ill., April 16, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN, U. S. Army,

Com. General of Prisoners, War Department, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: The rebel hospital, kitchen building, cooking arrangements, variola hospital, and other buildings, &c., being constructed by