number of deaths since that time to this date is 1,026; escaped from prison and not recaptured, 5; sent to other posts, 7; total now in prison, 12,180.

The prison is composed of an area of ground sixteen and one-half acres in extent, situated on two opposing banks or sides of a stream of water, which furnishes an ample supply of water, which furnishes an ample supply of good water for drinking and bathing purposes. This area is inclosed by a stockade made of heavy pine posts placed vertically in the ground to the depth of five feet and rising seventeen feet above it. This inclosure is entered by two strong gates. The space inclosed is in the form of a parallelogram, approaching very nearly a square. On each side of the inclosure upon the top of the stockade, so as to overlook the interior, are arranged eight sentry boxes or platforms which are abut forty yards distant from each other. The location of the prison ground is elevated and dry except that portion bordering immediately on the stream of water and comprising about one-fourth of the whole space inclosed by the stockade, which is wet and marshy and in its present condition is altogether unfit for an encampment; so that the prisoners really occupy only about twelve acres. The space therefore allotted to each man is seven by six feet.

Captain H. Wirz, the commander of the prison, is now endeavoring to reclaim this piece of wet land by draining, and expects to have it completed in a few days so as to make it a fit location for tents or barracks. Captain Wirz informs me that this work would have been done sooner but that he was unable to obtain the necessary implements to do it with. He also informs me that just so soon as the drainage is completed he designs constructing at the upper end of the stream, inside of the stockade, two dams of different altitudes; the upper to collect water for drinking and the lower for bathing purposes. Over the remainder of the stream it is designed to construct the sinks. The stream is of sufficient volume and velocity to carry off all the deposits. The prisoners are not supplied with barracks or tents and have no shelter except such as they have made with their blankets and pine boughs. This, I would respectfully suggest, will in my opinion be insufficient during the hot weather of the summer months. There being no trees or other protection from the rays of the sun and crowded together as they are, it will be necessary to furnish them with tents or other more capacious quarters than those now occupied in order that they may be divided off into proper streets, admitting a free circulation of air and affording better facilities for the enforcing of the necessary police regulations.

Colonel A. W. Persons, the commandant of the post, has engaged 1,000,000 feet of lumber to be sawed near Macon, a portion of which is already sawed, and he has collected a considerable quantity of it at the prison for the purpose of building barracks. He informs me that this would have been done sooner but for the want of transportation for the lumber and for the lack of the carpenters' tools necessary for building purposes. There are a number of carpenters among the prisoners who are perfectly willing to do work which will promote their own comfort.

Discipline. -Captain Wirz, the commander of the prison, is very firm and rigid in the discipline of the prisoners, and at the same time exercises toward them all proper acts of kindness. The whole number of prisoners is divided into detachments of 270 men each. A sergeant is appointed for each detachment, whose duty it is to cause the men to fall promptly in ranks and to call the roll at 7 o'clock a. m. daily. If any one is absent the sergeant is required to report the fact and the cause of his absence immediately to the commander of the prison, a