submitted and was under consideration when yours of the 5th instant was received inclosing General Jones' refusal to be responsible for the delivery of stores at that place. This of course settles the question for the present. The sending of clothing, even with his assurances of its delivery to our men, would have been of very doubtful policy, as we have the best of evidence that the greater part of the supplies sent to our men at Richmond never reached them. A deserter has testified very recently that a portion of the clothing so sent is now stored in Richmond, for issue to their troops. Our prisoners when captured are immediately deprived of overcoats, blankets, and sometimes shoes. To send more clothing would, under such circumstances, be only adding to the enemy's supplies.

Very respectfully,

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

MILITARY PRISON,

Johnson's Island, Ohio, September 12, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Present:

COLONEL: I would respectfully ask on the part of the prisoners that the prison sutler be permitted to sell to us candles and lamp oil and brooms. There are many prisoners at times sick and confined to their rooms, as the hospital is not large enough to accommodate all, and since they have no means of procuring lights it is impossible to administer medicines, &c. The brooms are much needed for police purposes.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. H. R. BEALL,

Brigadier-General, Provisional Army, C. S., Prisoner of War.

[Indorsement.]

HDQRS. U. S. FORCES, JOHNSON'S ISLAND AND SANDUSKY,
Johnson's Island, September 12, 1864.

Approved and respectfully forwarded.

Under present regulations it seems that prisoners are deprived of lights unless the combustible material and lamps or candlesticks are brought from beyond the lines. Aside from the ordinary use of lights in the evening, in case of sickness in the quarters lights would be very necessary.

CHAS. W. HILL,

Colonel, Commanding Post.

HEADQUARTERS FORT DELAWARE, DEL.,
September 12, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN, U. S. Army,

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

COLONEL: In reply to your communication of 9th instant I inclose true copies of my orders in regard to correspondence concerning rebel prisoners. I found it impossible to permit them to write to everybody as they pleased, for the reason that four clerks in the post-office could not have read 2,000 letters a day, which at that time was the general