OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL OF PRISONERS,

ROCK ISLAND BARRACKS,

Rock Island, Ill., May 9, 1864.

Colonel A. J. JOHNSON,

Fourth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps, Commanding Post:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report the general condition of the police of prison as good and constantly improving. The streets have been cleared of the rubbish which naturally accumulated in repairing and grading. The stumps have been removed and the avenues made full and rounding from the drains to the center. The police of grounds around the new hospitals is, as it were, in the first stages. The buildings being in an unfinished state, renders it impossible to near approach perfection.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. P. CARAHER,

Lieutenant-Colonel Fourth Regiment

Veteran Reserve Corps, Provost-Marshal of Prisoners.

FORT LAFAYETTE, N. Y. HARBOR, May 10, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington City:

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of circular of regulations for government of prison stations. In obedience to your instructions I have this day put it in operation, but find that it will be impossible to carry it out under the peculiar circumstances under which I am placed here with regard to cooking and messing arrangements. I respectfully submit the following statement for your consideration and action thereon; There is only cooking range at this post. There rations for garrison and prisoners have been issued and cooked together, the whole forming a post mess. This method had to be adopted and continued since I have been in command, and it is impracticable to have a separate apartment for prisoners, there being now seventy-two here. With the reduced rations prescribed in your circular I do not think it possible to carry out the requirements of paragraph 5 of said circular unless a separate mess is opened for prisoners, and for which there is no spare accommodation here at present. The method pursued at this post theretofore with regard to savings of the ration was a consolidation of the whole, and at the end of each month an appropriation pro rata for garrison and prisoners, the amount apportioned to the prisoners being expended in the purchase of kitchen furniture, brooms, buckets for their use, and accounted for in the post treasurer's account. I would respectfully request that the old system be continued at this post until sufficient accommodation can be procured to introduce that required by your circular, which only can be done by having a separate mess. The amount of soap allowed in the circular, four ounces to 100 men, is not sufficient for personal purposes, without regard to washing of the prisoners' clothes.

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

MARTIN BURKE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, U. S. Army, Commanding Post.