the following report of the condition and treatment of the prisoners now confined at Camp Chase.

This camp is situated on the National road, five miles west of this city, and consists of wooden barracks for the prisoners as well as for the garrison. The prisoners are surrounded by tight board fences twelve feet in height, surmounted by a parapet for the sentinels, from which a full view of the entire inclosure is obtained and any unnecessary movement on the part of the prisoners observed. The prison inclosures are lighted with coal-oil lamps at night to guard against any unnecessary collection of prisoners or any concerted efforts to overpower the guard. The prison buildings are similar in construction and material to the temporary military prisons in the Northern States, and, in my opinion, are as safe as wooden buildings can be made. The garrison consists of the Eighty-eighth Ohio Regiment, which has been stationed there since their organization. The available strength of the regiment is now 895, aggregate, officers and men. From this regiment all the guards are detailed, and, with the exception of the post commandant, Colonel W. P. Richardson, Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteers, the quartermaster, Captain Kerr, assistant quartermaster of volunteers, and Captain Harrington, commissary of subsistence, all the details for office work, &c., are from the Eighty-eighth Regiment. These details consist friends of prisoners, to inspect the mail to and from prisoners, provost-marshal at the post, adjutant, &c., together with all the clerks in these several officers. So heavy are the necessary details for these duties and for the regular duties immediately over the prisoners, together with the necessary details for fatigue duty, that no guard is established around the camp to prevent the egress of soldiers. For this reason many of the men of the regiment stroll beyond the limits of the camp, to the detriment of neighboring farmers, who suffer grievously thereby in their hen roosts and milk-houses. To guard against this straggling of the garrison one of two things is absolutely necessary to be done. The garrison must be so much increased that a chain of sentinels can be establish around the camp, or a fence must be built inclosing the entire camp - a fence similar to the prison inclosure, that cannot be scaled. Looking at these two plans with a view to economy, I wound unhesitatingly recommend the latter. The fence will be about 6,000 feet in length and will cost something less than $2,000. This comprises the entire expense, while to increase the garrison sufficiently to guard securely the entire camp would require one entire regiment in addition to the one now there. I have no hesitation whatever in saying that every consideration of economy and safety requires the construction of a close, high fence around the entire camp. Another consideration in favor of this change is that with it the number of the prisoners may be doubted without any increase of garrison, while the camp, at the same time, be made the rendezvous of new organizations to the number of 5,000 men, or for paroled prisoners of equal number, without increase of guards. The precautions taken to observe all actions of prisoners looking toward efforts to escape, &c., are ample, in my opinion, to prevent any such efforts from being successful. The discipline and morale of the regiment is good, and their vigilance is evidenced by the fact that while efforts to escape are often made they are very seldom successful.

Treatment of prisoners. - On arrival prisoners are deprived of their money and other articles, which are kept for them in the prison office. The money is merely kept on deposit, however, as they are permitted

34 R R-SERIES II, VOL VII