Brasher City and delivered to the U. S. authorities at Boutte Station. The whole subject had passed beyond my control by reference to the War Department at Washington before I was assigned to this command, but I have recommended that the delivery should be acknowledged and the Confederate Government credited with the number of prisoners of war there delivered, but have not yet received the decision of the Department.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., September 8, 1864.

Major General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 5th instant requesting to be informed of the quantity of irregular clothing which will be required for prisoners of war in the next six months, and in reply I beg to say that only an approximate estimate can be made. There are now some 60,000 prisoners in our hands and the number is as likely to be increased as diminished. I would therefore recommend that clothing for 30,000 prisoners be provided, one suit for each, with an extra number of shirts, say 10,000 No reports have been made to me of clothing issued to prisoners and I am therefore unable to say how much was issued in the past year.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., September 8, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel S. EASTMAN,

Commanding Depot Prisoners of War, Elmira, N. Y.:

COLONEL: Your communications of the 25th and 28th ultimo in relation to supplies to be furnished to prisoners have been received. Circular, Numbers 4, establishing the condition on which clothing may be received by prisoners, must be strictly complied with. Require such evidence as you may think necessary to establish that the clothing is sent by near relatives. Letter from the donor accompanying the parcel explaining the circumstances will generally be sufficient, unless sent by friends is left in your hands you may issue it to those who are in a destitute condition. Instructions heretofore given you provide for the purchase of antiscorbutics. You are authorized to permit the sutler to sell fruits and vegetables to prisoners during the prevalence of the scurvy.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

50 R R-SERIES II, VOL VII