of war were all sent North in June, 1863, and are, to the best of my knowledge, now held in confinement, excepting some that it is understood have escaped.

I also beg leave to inclose the copy of a letter from Major General R. Taylor, C. S. Army, disclaiming that certain officers commanding colored troops had been held in close confinement or in irons, as reported at these headquarters; also one stating that colored troops had not been beaten or hung after having been captured by his forces, and another denying that two officers of U. S. colored troops had been murdered at Monroe, as alleged in accompanying affidavits. *

I beg leave respectfully to request that the prisoners mentioned upon the accompanying lists may be sent to Colonel Killborn, assistant commissary-general of prisoners, Department of the Gulf, at New Orleans, in orders that they may be exchanged under a cartel now being arranged by Colonel C. C. Dwight, assistant inspector-general, commissioner for exchanges, acting on my part, and Major W. M. Levy, assistant adjutant and inspector general, commissioner for exchange, acting on the part of Major General R. Taylor, C. S. Army.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.

[First indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., July 2, 1864.

Respectfully submitted for the information of the Secretary of War.

The two rolls of prisoners have been returned to Major-General Banks. The officers referred to, except one, who died at Johnson's Island, made their escape from the steamboat Maple Leaf while en route from Fort Monroe to Fort Delaware on the 10th of June, 1863, and the enlisted men were delivered to the rebel agent at City Point on the 6th of July, 1863.

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

[Second indorsement.]

JULY 6, 1864.

These papers seem to be put a portion of a correspondence.

From what I can gather from it I am of opinion that under the actual information in our hands touching the treatment of colored troops and their officers by the rebels the letter of General Taylor proves nothing but his personal ignorance of notorious transactions.

The best evidence that the class of prisoners referred to either have received or are to receive the treatment due to prisoners of war would be to bring them forward and offer to exchange them. Until the enemy does this it is a sort of connivance on our part in their proceeding to attach the slightest importance to such letters as that of General Taylor.

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers.

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*For inclosure here omitted see Logan to Andrews, August 8, 1863, Vol. VI, this series, p. 189; Taylor to Banks, September 7, 1863, ibid., p. 264; Taylor to Franklin, December 23, 1863, ibid., p. 748.

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