average, and even now there are (with the restriction in their correspondence) several thousand letters unread. Another reason for this restriction is that they found out the names of notorious rebel sympathizers, to whom hundreds of letters were daily directed asking for assistance.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, yours,

A. SCHOEPF,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[First indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., September 15, 1864.

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War.

The within orders of General Schoepf countermand the orders of the War Department, which authorize and limit the correspondence of prisoners. If there is occasion to restrict still more this privilege it is proper that General Schoepf should report the necessity for the consideration of the Secretary of War. Frequent appeals have been made to me for permission to write to prisoners, and it was only in this way that I learned that General Schoepf had published new regulations.

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

[Second indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, September 17, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Major-General Halleck, chief of staff, for remark.

By order of the Secretary of War:

LOUIS H. PELOUZE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Third indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, September 27, 1864.

Respectfully returned to the Commissary-General of Prisoners.

The orders of Brigadier-General Schoepf are approved.

By order of the Secretary of War:

JAS. A. HARDIE,

Colonel and Inspector-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. FORT DELAWARE, DEL., Numbers 261.
August 10, 1864.

Hereafter no letters from prisoners at this post will be forwarded, excepting those written to a father, mother, sister, brother, wife, son, or daughter.

By command of Brigadier General A. Schoepf:

GEO. W. AHL,
Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.] SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. FORT DELAWARE, DEL., Numbers 296.
August 26, 1864.

All prisoner-of-war letters must hereafter be limited to ten lines of ordinary letter or note paper; must be legibly written and confined