HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., June 24, 1864.

General SAMUEL COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector-General, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: I send with this copies of two letters, one addressed by Major-General Foster, U. S. Army, to me, the other, my reply thereto. *

The right and expediency of confining prisoners of war in this city is eliciting some discussion in and out of the public prints, and the actual facts of the matter do not seem to be correctly understood by the public. If the views I have expressed in my letter meet the approval of the President it may be well to publish the correspondence between General Foster and myself. Please bring General Foster's letter of the 16th and mine of the 13th and 22nd instant to him, to the President's notice when he has leisure to consider them, and inform me if there is any objection to their publication if I should think it desirable.

Brigadier-General Scammon, U. S. Army, is in very bad health and is exceedingly anxious to be exchanged. He has asked to be allowed to go North on parole to effect an exchange, which he feels assured he can accomplish. Of course I have not felt authorized to permit him to do so, but referred his application to you. He commanded in the Kanawha Valley whilst I commanded the Department of West Virginia, and I believe his treatment of our prisoners and friends was kind and humane. It would, I think, be desirable to exchange him. A major (prisoner of war) has asked if I will allow a special exchange in his case, and I have no doubt all of them would like to be exchanged, and it may happen that the bringing them here may lead to a near general exchange of prisoners.

I desire to know it the War Department will permit me, should opportunity offer, to enter into negotiations with General Foster for special or general exchange, subject to the approval of our respective Governments. As the mails are so uncertain, I request that you will answer this by telegraph.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

CAMP SUMTER, Andersonville, Ga., June 24, 1864.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: The pressing necessities of this post and the great irregularity of the mails have induced me to send Lieutenant Davis with this letter, though I can very illy spare his services, as he is one of my most efficient assistants. The state of affairs at this post is in a critical condition. We have here largely over 24,000 prisoners of war, and 1,205 very raw troops (Georgia Reserves), with the measles prevailing, badly armed and worse disciplined, to guard them; the prisoners rendered more desperate from the necessarily uncomfortable condition in which they are placed. With the present force a raid on the post would almost of necessity be successful, as the prisoners would occupy the attention of the troops. I do most conscientiously think the force should be largely of re-enforced, and I respectfully ask that it be done with the least possible delay. There has been, and I am satisfied that there

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*See Series I, Vol. XXXV, Part II, p. 134, and Vol. LIII, p. 104.

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