received raw rations and were not provided with either wood or utensils for cooking them, whilst at the same time the daily prison and the daily commissary returns at the bakery prove undeniably what quantity of rations, and it what condition, cooked or uncooked, were issued. Out of the thirty-odd thousand prisoners confined in the stockade (not including the patients at the hospital), only 8,000 uncooked rations were issued and these 8,000 prisoners always received either the bread or the meat in a cooked state, having only the one or the other to cook for themselves. These men were furnished daily with ten cords of wood for cooking purposes, which was to be equally divided amongst the detachments by sergeants appointed from their own numbers. Besides the wood thus furnished, and at the time of Colonel Chandler's inspection tour, the prisoners received over 1,000 posts 23 feet long each, which had been removed by them upon the occasion of enlarging the stockade. It is a notorious fact that over fifty wood yards were in existence at one time within the stockade, the prisoners lending wood one to the other by the stick or other quality. Colonel Chandler did not ask me a single question in regard to wood. From the fact that he saw one prisoner digging small pieces of wood from a mud hole I presume he thought the statements of prisoners in regard to the wood question were to be delivered. If Colonel Chandler had asked me I could have presented the matter to him in an entirely different light. This man, gathering wood, in common with many others, did so for the purpose of selling the same to cake bakers and restaurant keepers, who drawing their rations cooked, had no wood issued to them, and, in order to carry on their business, were obliged to buy wood from whom they might.

Colonel Chandler devoted about three hours to examine that which, had it been properly, would have demanded at least one week's devoted attention. He left me making the remark, with a very sympathizing look toward the Yankee prisoners, "This beats anything I ever saw; it is, indeed, a hell on earth. " Major hall remarked that it was about on a par with the Federal prison at Johnson's Island, which is represented as being the best prison in the North.

As far as the cook-house and the bakery are concerned it is true enough that the cooking arrangements were inadequate, and I would not have said anything if Colonel Chandler had stated what was represented and proved by letters received from various quartermasters and commissaries upon the subject, and which were shown to him, to with, that the officers in command at Andersonville had done all in their power to overcome the difficulty; but this omission of Colonel Chandler gives room for thought that the officers at this post had neglected their duty. Only a few in justification thereof. When the prison was first established it was intended for 12,000 prisoners; the number increased rapidly, and in a very short time over 20,000 prisoners had been received. Everything possible was done to obtain the necessary materials with which to place an increased number of ovens. I took weeks before a sufficient number of bricks could be obtained; the kettles, after a delay of over two months, were finally received, but lime, a very necessary article, could not be procured from any quarter. General Johnston had taken all the trains upon the Atlanta and West Point railroads, thereby cutting us off from Opelika, he only point from where we could likely the article required. About three weeks since the post quartermaster received a small supply, but from whence he obtained it I did not ascertain. I had in the meantime finished setting the kettles in the clay, and also put up a