that time succeeded in getting an ax from the kitchen, which was used for chopping meat, with which they broke the lock of a gate leading to an alley west of the prison, while some of them had disarmed the guard stationed inside by getting hold of his gun from behind. The alarm was at once given, but some had already succeeded in getting out and had scattered in all directions.

A detail of men from the Tenth Kansas Infantry was immediately sent after them, and another party not on duty at that time, but in camp not far from the prison, upon hearing the alarm, joined in the chase, during which the following men were killed: James A. Colcheasure, private of Thompson's regiment, C. S. Army, twenty- seven years old, captured in Clay County, Mo. Lewis Y. Schultz, a citizen of Saint Louis, twenty- four years of age, captured at Saint Louis.

The following men were wounded and returned to prison hospital: A. C. Gremes, a citizen of Ralls County, Mo., and captured at Memphis, Tenn.: William McFileney, a citizen of Washington County, Mo., captured at Saint Louis, Mo. ; John F. Abshire, Sixth Missouri Cavalry, C. S. Army, captured at Vicksburg, Miss.

The Board is of the opinion that these prisoners having violated the regulations of the prison and attempting to escape, the guard did but their duty, and their act was justifiable and in accordance with their instructions and the custom in like cases.

The names of the men who did the killing cannot be ascertained with any certainty, as there was a general such, and the firing was from different directions.

Very respectfully, &c.,

GUST. HEINRICHS,

Major, Fourth Missouri Cavalry.

GEO. W. YATES,

First Lieutenant, Fourth Michigan Volunteers, Aide- de- Camp.

PRISONERS OF WAR CAMP HOSPITAL,

Point Lookout, Md., June 23, 1864.

Lieutenant RICHARD F. ANDREWS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, District of Saint Mary's:

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to most respectfully call the attention of the commanding officer to the already crowded condition of the prisoners of war camp at this post, and as sanitary officer of the camp to most respectfully protest against the reception of additional numbers of prisoners, there being now fully 14,000 within the camp, and near 20,000 on the Point in all, including the U. S. Hammond General Hospital, with 1,300 wounded men, the contraband camp of indefinite numbers, the quartermaster's department, and troops of the garrison. / In addition to this are the quartermaster's stables with, I suppose, 250 horses and mules. The reasons why I am urged to make this protest are:

First. The limited area of the camp and surface within the stockade known as the Point.

Second. The already insufficient quantity and injurious quality of the water. By reference to inclosed report of analysis it will be soon that the water of some of the wells is already unfit for use, and to this state of the water I attribute largely the increased amount of and fatality of disease during the past month.

Third. Though the police of the camp now is, and has been for several months past, most excellent, still every precaution against epidemic