Captain C. LeD. Elgee as soon as he reaches the army will be sent to your lines to be exchanged for Captain Hall.

It will not be practicable for us to bring Major Grace from the North, but any other officer of the same rank whom we may hold in this department will be exchanged for Major Cowan.

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

CHAS. C. DWIGHT,

Colonel and Acting Assistant Inspector-General, Commissioner, &c.

HEADQUARTERS POST OF CHICAGO,
Chicago, Ill., May 13, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: I have the honor herewith to transmit copies of a communication to me from Major L. C. Skinner, commissary of prisoners at Camp Douglas, reference to Captain N. W. Edwards and his report and recommendation thereon, on the subject of a reduction of the rations to prisoners of war at this post. This communication, reference, and recommendation, made after the receipt of your circular of April 20, 1864, is based on the experience of the officers making the same, in issuing and watching the consumption of rations, and the ration as recommended seems here amply sufficient. I respectfully submit the same for your consideration. I have instructed the commissary of subsistence not to issue the hominy ration till further orders, as it has been and is entirely wasted, and have also cut off the issue of candles, as the main use made of them is to tunnel out at night. They cannot dig much without lights. With them a hole once commenced and kept concealed, they make rapid progress in the loose sandy soil where the camp is located.

Respectfully asking your approval of my action in stopping the ration of hominy and candles,

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

B. J. SWEET,

Colonel Eighth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY OF PRISONERS,

Camp Douglas, Ill., May 10, 1864.

Colonel B. J. SWEET,

Commanding Post of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to inform you that in my opinion the ration issued to prisoners of war is too large, as they waste a large percentage of them. I would respectfully recommend that the following reductions be made from the schedule given by the Commissary-General of Prisoners in his circular of instructions, April 20, 1864:

Present issue. Reduct Amount

ion. propose

d.

Soft bread, 18 ounces. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 16

. ounces. . .

Corn-meal, 18 ounces. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 16

. . . . do. . . . .

Hominy or rice, 100 men 8 pounds. . . 8 . . .

pounds. .

Sugar, 100 men 14 pounds. . . . . . . . . . 4 10

. . do. . . . .

Rio coffee, 5 pounds, ground. . . . . . . . 2 3

do. . . . .

Rio coffee, 7 pounds, raw. . . . . . . . . . 2 5

. do. . . . .

Tea, 18 ounces 100 men. . . . . . . . . . . 18 . . .

. . ounces. .

Soap, 4 ounces (probably meant 4 pounds). . 4 . . .

.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . pounds. .

Adamantine candles, 5 candles 100 men. . . . 5 . . .

. .

Tallow candles, 6 candles 100 men. . . . . . 6 . . .

. . . .