by covering with another layer of boards, and I wish you to try this plan. The dirt will fill the cracks in the floor, which will completely exclude the air. For the winter all the barracks should have the openings between the boards filled up with a clay plaster, which will make the rooms much warmer and thereby save a great deal of fuel.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WASHINGTON, D. C., September 17, 1864.

Brigadier General J. BARNES,

Commanding District of Saint Mary's, Point Lookout, Md.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st instant, inclosing reports of Surgeons Heger and Thompson on the sanitary condition of the prisoners at Point Lookout.

These reports show a very satisfactory state of things save in one or two particulars. The water is said to be of a very bad quality, causing much of the disease which most prevails among the prisoners. Shortly after my visit to Point Lookout in July the Quartermaster-General ordered water-boats to be provided which would supply 20,000 gallons of water per day from the nearest fresh-water stream, and until the receipt of this report I had no doubt that his instructions had been fully carried out. Will you please inform me if the post is supplied with any water by boats; how much, if any; how much more is required; the distance it must be brought, and what kind of boat is required for the service? Surgeon Thompson reports that the hospital accommodations are too limited for the number of sick. The instructions from this office cover this matter fully and authorize you to provide any indispensable wants for this branch of the service.

Surgeon Thompson recommends a change in some of the articles of the ration. No change can be made except so far as to make it conform to the recent law fixing the ration, which takes off the potatoes and molasses and reduces the hard bread from sixteen to twelve ounces in camp or garrison. Any savings which can be made from the soap or salt you are at liberty to retain for the prison fund. A circular on this subject will be issued in a few days.

I have also to acknowledge the receipt of your reference of the report of Major Brady on the shooting of a prisoner by a sentinel, together with the subsequent order issued by you fixing the duties of the sentinels. At my suggestion Colonel Draper issued an order on the 20th of May prescribing the duties of guard and sentinels at Point Lookout, which is very full and explicit and should have continued in force, but from the necessity of your issuing an order on the same subject I suppose the order has been lost sight of. It can be found I beg to call your attention to it, as I think it covers many essential points in the proper performance of guard duty.

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

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio, September 17, 1864.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN,

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

COLONEL: Yours of the 11th instant has been received. You have only directed Farmer's boilers to be used at this post once since I have