this side of the river; provided, however, that you do not deliver more than you receive. Let the delivery be made to you and you make the delivery to the enemy with the distinct understanding that it is to be a mere delivery, and that the exchange is to be made here by subsequent action between their agent and myself. Communicate this to Lieutenant-Colonel Watts, as it is somewhat at variance with a letter which I set to him by the same messenger who bears this.

Thad P. Gibson, Third Kentucky, is not exchanged. I have made inquiry as to Josiah Wheeler, but have received as yet no reply.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

RO. OULD,

Agent of Exchange.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Numbers 182.
Richmond, August 3, 1864.

* * * *

XLV. Major Garnett Andrews, assistant adjutant-general, will proceed to Danville, Va., and Salisbury, N. C., and make an inspection of the C. S. military prisons at those places. He will receive instructions from and make his reports to Brigadier General William M. Gardner, commanding, &c.

XLVI. Captain John C. Rutherford, assistant adjutant-general, will proceed to Columbia and Charleston, S. C., and make an inspection of the C. S. military prisons at those places. During his absence he will select a point south of Danville, Va., for the establishing of a prison. He will receive instructions from and make his reports to Brigadier General William M. Gardner, commanding, &c.

By command of the Secretary of War:

SAML. W. MELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ALTON, ILL., August 4, 1864.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN, U. S. Army,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: Inclosed I have the honor to transmit report or inspection of Alton prison for prisoners of war. The quarters occupied by the prisoners are the old State prison and some old building that were used as workshops. The next number of men to each cold not be ascertained; both, however, are well filled. Your attention is called, first, to the necessity of better police. I am told by the officer directly in charge of this duty that in this respect great change has recently taken place for the better. If he carries out what he proposes, namely, grading and graveling the entire inclosure, repairing the sewers and having the quarters better policed, in a short time it will be greatly improved. Second, I consider the prison overcrowded. Unless circumstances compel such a number to be held in it I would recommend that 500 be transferred elsewhere. The capacity of this prison for health is not, at most, in my opinion, over 1,200. Two thousand may be forced into it for as short time. The prison and hospital fund is well managed and properly disbursed. The amount of the former on hand end of July was near $18,000, the latter $740. The money deposited by individual prisoners is so managed as to be satisfactory to them, and not apt to be attended with loss to the officer in charge. The hospital referred to in the report is a new one just completed and will