OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., May 29, 1864.

Colonel A. G. DRAPER,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Dist. of Saint Mary's, Point Lookout, Md.:

COLONEL: By direction of the Secretary of War I have to inform you that the instructions of Major-General Butler, directing the discharge of prisoners of war on taking the oath of allegiance or other conditions, are suspended until further orders. You will therefore grant no more discharges except by orders from the War Department. Please refer to my instructions to General Marston of the 27th of October, 1863, in reference to forwarding rolls of prisoners who desire to take the oath of allegiance and be governed by them. As I mentioned to you verbally in the fatigue duties performed by prisoners employ those in preference who avow loyal sentiments and who applied to take the oath of allegiance.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Prison and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WASHINGTON, D. C., May 29, 1864.

Colonel A. G. DRAPER,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Dist. of Saint Mary's, Point Lookout, Md.:

COLONEL: I wish again to call your attention to the necessity of having your command so instructed as to be perfectly prepared to meet any emergency that may arise either from an external attack with a view to the release of the prisoners of war or from any effort on their own part to this end. The commanders of the regiments composing your command should understand perfectly what they are to do under any circumstances, and they should give their regiments full instructions to meet any case, day or night. Your daily guard should be carefully and minutely instructed, particularly the colored troops, in all their duties, as I have heretofore indicated to you. And as one means of arriving at the end and to insure that the guard duties are faithfully performed, you should detail a field officer of the day from the field officers of your command, who should be held responsible that all orders for the government of your guards are properly observed.

All sentinels placed over prisoners should be carefully instructed when they are authorized to fire upon them to enforce their orders. The shooting of a prisoner, except when compelled by a grave necessity, cannot be excused, and such an act for a slight offense for which it would be sufficient punishment to take the prisoner in custody and turn him over to the guard can be considered little less than wanton murder. While it is necessary that you should appoint officers to attend to the different branches of the service at the post, it is also necessary that you should assure yourself from personal observation that your orders are promptly and satisfactorily executed, for the responsibility is first upon yourself, and if those under you fail to obey orders it is your duty to hold them to an account.

One or two new regiments will be assigned to your command, and it will be necessary for you to give attention to their instructions and discipline. You will remain in command of the post. And I am satisfied that when you have had sufficient time to introduce all the reforms which were so necessary at the time of your

12 R R-SERIES II, VOL VII