Today in History:

527 Series II Volume VII- Serial 120 - Prisoners of War

Page 527 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION AND CONFEDERATE.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, August 3, 1864.

Major-General HUNTER, Monocacy:

Application having been made to the President by Mr. Schley to suspend your order removing sundry persons, citizens of Frederick, beyond the lines, and imprisoning others, the President has transmitted to this Department the following order:

The Secretary of War will suspend the order of General Hunter mentioned within until further orders, and directs him to send to the Department a brief report of what is known against each one proposed to be dealt with.

A. LINCOLN.

You will therefore suspend any order made by you for removing any citizens of Frederick, male or female, from their homes, either to place them beyond the lines or imprison them at Wheeling, and transmit to this Department a report of the facts and reasons on which said order is made*.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.


HEADQUARTERS DRAFT RENDEZVOUS,
Elmira, N. Y., August 3, 1864.

Brigadier General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: Since my last report I have the honor to state that 5,000 prisoners of war have arrived at this depot and quartered in barracks and tents at Barracks, Numbers 3. All recruits, substitutes, and drafted men have been transferred to Barracks, Numbers 1, excepting deserters, who are confined in the guard-house. The latter will be transferred as soon as the guard-house is completed at Barracks, Numbers 1. The Fifty-fourth Regiment New York Militia, numbering about 350, arrived here on the 27th of July to serve as guard over prisoners of war. This regiment, with the six companies of the Sixteenth Veteran Reserve Corps, furnish about 700 men for guard at the prisoners' camp. At Barracks, Numbers 1, there are 200 colored drafted men and substitutes, organized into two companies, armed and equipped, doing guard duty there. Thirty of these are detailed as a patrol guard inside the inclosure at prisoners' camp. I have just received notice from Major-General Dix that two more regiments of militia from New York City will be ordered here for duty, and it is probable that they will arrive here to-night or to-morrow. Owing to the number of troops to arrive here suddenly it became necessary to direct the quartermaster to lease some ground next to the prisoners' camp for an encampment, which I respectfully request may be approved. The new hospital is completed and occupied. The general condition of this post is excellent.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. EASTMAN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, U. S. Army, Commanding Post.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., August 3, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners:

I send you some funds which it is believed belong to prisoners of war under your charge. If the prisoners are living and in our custody

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* For reply, see Series I, Vol. XXXVII, Part II, p. 583.

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Page 527 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION AND CONFEDERATE.