department commanders occasionally, and for your kind favors in this way I shall feel under many obligations.

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

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

(Same to other division and department commanders.)

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, May 7, 1864-10. 30 a. m.

Captain G. W. BERRY, Provost-Marshal, Covington, Ky.:

Doctor Moore informs this Department that on Tuesday last a man representing himself to be a deserter from the rebel army, and who stated that he was engaged in the massacre at Fort Pillow, presented himself at your office to take the oath of amnesty. Spare no pains to ascertain where that person is. Arrest him and send him under guard to Washington. You will be expected to find if he is above ground, and to report to this Department by telegraph as soon as you have arrested him, together with his name. Let the guard be such as will prevent his escape and insure his safe delivery here, reporting to Colonel Wisewell, military governor.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, DIST. OF WESTERN LOUISIANA,

In the Field, May 7, 1864.

Colonel C. C. DWIGHT,

Acting Assistant Inspector-General, Commissioner of Exchange:

COLONEL: I have the honor to inclose a copy of communication from Surgeon Gibbs, of Second Regiment Louisiana Cavalry, C. S. Army, relative to his being held as a prisoner of war, his treatment while thus held, and having his private property taken from him.

I am instructed by Major-General Taylor to call your attention to the matter set forth in Doctor Gibbs' communication. It has been distinctly understood between Major-General Banks and Taylor that surgeons should not be held as prisoners of war, and in July last a correspondence was had between those officers on the subject arising from the (then) recent capture of a number of surgeons of the U. S. Army at Brashear City, and the confinement previously of Assistant Surgeon Jones and other C. S. medical officers in guard-houses and prisons in New Orleans. In that correspondence Major-General Banks stated that the confinement of these medical officers and subsequent release of them on parole as prisoners of war was without his knowledge or consent and was disapproved by him. Since that time in several instances medical officers of your army have fallen into our hands and have been returned to your lines, never having been held by Major-General Taylor as prisoners of war.

It is hoped that the detention of Surgeon Gibbs and the other medical officers referred to in his communication as prisoners was unauthorized by Major-General Banks and that the private property taken from them will be restored, and to prevent a recurrence of such unpleasant interruptions of an understanding which has been faithfully observed on