and barracks in question and to adopt a more rigid discipline with both guards and prisoners.

By order:

JAS. A. HARDIE,

Colonel and Inspector-General.

CIRCULAR.] OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., April 20, 1864.

By authority of the War Department the following regulations will be observed at all stations where prisoners of war and political or State prisoners are held. These regulations will supersede those issued from this office July 7, 1862: *

I. The commanding officer at each station is held accountable for the discipline and good order of this command and for the security of the prisoners, and will take such measures, with the means placed at his disposal, as will best secure these results. He will divide the prisoners into companies and will cause written reports to be made to him of their condition every morning, showing the changes made during the preceding twenty-four hours, giving the names of the "joined," "transferred," "deaths," &c. At the end of every month commanders will send to the Commissary-General of Prisoners a return of prisoners, giving names and details to explain "alterations. " If rolls of "joined" or "transferred" have been forwarded during the month it will be sufficient to refer to them on the return according to forms furnished.

II. On the arrival of prisoners at any station a careful comparison of them with the rolls which accompany them will be made, and all errors on the rolls will be corrected. When no roll accompanies the prisoners one will immediately be made out containing all the information required, as correct as can be, from the statements of the prisoners themselves. When the prisoners are citizens the town, county, and State from which they come will be given on the rolls under the headings "rank," "regiment," and "company. " At stations where prisoners are received frequently and in small parties a list will be furnished every fifth day - the last one in the month may be for six days - of all prisoners received during the preceding five days. Immediately on their arrival prisoners will be required to give up all arms and weapons of every description, of which the commanding officer will require an accurate list to be made. When prisoners are forwarded for exchange duplicate parole rolls, signed by the prisoners, will be sent with them, and an ordinary roll will be sent to the Commissary-General of Prisoners. When they are transferred from one station to another an ordinary roll will be sent with them and a copy of it to the Commissary-General of Prisoners. In all cases the officer charged with conducting prisoners will report to the officer under whose orders he acts the execution of his service, furnishing a receipt for the prisoners delivered and accounting by name for those not delivered; which report will be forwarded without delay to the Commissary-General of Prisoners.

III. The hospital will be under the immediate charge of the senior medical officer present, who will be held responsible to the commanding officer for its good order and the proper treatment of the sick. A fund for this hospital will be created as for other hospitals. It will be kept separate from the fund of the hospital for the troops, and will be expended for the objects specified and in the manner prescribed in

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

*See Vol. IV, this series, p. 152.

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