heard any outrages of this kind attributed to the soldiers of General Lee's army, and after three years' intercourse on the bloody soil of Virginia I give them credit for being honorable foes who would scorn to injure defenseless prisoners.

The clothing sent by the United States was fairly delivered, but the hungry prisoners sold most of it to the guards, who are now enjoying the benefit of it. The guards were not generally cruel to the prisoners, but were under no restraint whatever and would sometimes shoot them down without provocation. The lieutenant in charge of Belle Isle was a humane man, but allowed a cruel and brutal subordinate to tyrannize over and persecute the unfortunate prisoners.

I have carefully avoided exaggeration in making this statement, which can be corroborated by the affidavits of 2,000 prisoners at Camp Parole. I make it unwillingly and only from a sacred sense of duty to my miserable comrades yet in captivity, and to the memory of hundreds of brave men who had escaped unharmed from many a battle-field and have been brought into the hideous inclosure of Belle Isle in the prime of life and health to die by slow torture and a dog's death.

W. S. TOLAND,

Ninth Regiment New York State Militia.

[First indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, April 23, 1864.

Respectfully referred to the commissioner for the exchange of prisoners for remark.

By order of the Secretary of War:

JAS. A. HARDIE,

Colonel and Inspector-General.

[Second indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., April 29, 1864.

Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War.

No reports have been made to this office of the manner in which prisoners have been treated by the rebels at Belle Isle, but from notices in the newspapers, made from representations of paroled prisoners, there can be little doubt of the truth of the statements made in the within communication, but to guard against mistake I respectfully suggest that the testimony of some of the most intelligent paroled prisoners recently arrived at Baltimore be taken as to the treatment they received, and if the within statement is sustained I respectfully suggest as a means of compelling the rebels to adopt a less barbarous policy toward the prisoners in their hands that the rebel officers at Johnson's Island be allowed only half-rations; that their clothing be reduced to what is only sufficient to cover their nakedness, and that they be denied the privilege of purchasing the articles allowed to other prisoners.

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

ALTON, ILL., April 23, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM WEER,

Tenth Kansas Volunteers, Commanding Post, Alton, Ill.:

COLONEL: I would respectfully call your attention to the fact that on the 18th of February last I addressed you a communication in which,

6 R - SERIES II, VOL VII