[First indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, June 1, 1864.

Respectfully returned to Colonel W. Hoffman, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

Such accommodations as are immediately indispensably necessary rial to be paid for out of the prison fund.

By order of the Secretary of War:

JAS. A. HARDIE,

Colonel and Inspector-General.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., May 31, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel MARTIN BURKE,

Commanding Fort Lafayette, New York Harbor, N. Y.:

COLONEL: In reply to your letter of the 10th instant I have the honor to inform you that the circular from this office of May 7, in relation to prisoners of war, cannot be departed from, as it is the order of the War Department. I would suggest that you purchase a cooking stove for the use of the prisoners and place it under a shed constructed for the purpose, so that their rations may be cooked by themselves. I inclose herewith a circular establishing a new scale for the rations to be issued to prisoners. *

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

CIRCULAR.] OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., June 1, 1864.

I. By authority of the Secretary of War the ration to be issued to prisoners of war, as announced in the circular from this office dated April 20, 1864, is hereby modified as follows, to go into immediate effect, viz:

Ration.

Pork or bacon (in lieu of fresh beef). . . . . . . . . . . ounces. . . . 10

Fresh beef. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do. . . . . . 14

Flour or soft bread. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do. . . . . . 16

Hard or soft (in lieu of flour soft bread). . . . . . . . do. . . . . . 14

Corn-meal (in lieu of flour or bread). . . . . . . . . . . . . do. . . . . . 16

Beans or peas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pounds. . . . a12 1/2

Or rice or hominy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do. . . . . . a8

Soap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do. . . . . . a4

Vinegar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . quarts. . . . a3

Salt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pounds. . . . a3 8/4

Potatoes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do. . . . . . a15

Sugar and coffee, or tea, will be issued only to the sick or wounded, on the recommendation of the surgeon in charge, at the rate of twelve pounds of sugar, five pounds of ground or seven pounds of green coffee, or one pound of tea, to the 100 rations. This part of the ration will be allowed only for every other day.

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aTo 100 rations.

*See next, post.

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