forty-two acres. The location is an admirable one and I think does great credit to Capts. W. S. Winder and Vowles for the selection.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO H WINDER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS POST AND C. S. MILITARY PRISONS,
Richmond, September 24, 1864.

Honorable SECRETARY OF WAR:

SIR: Upon the representation of Major Carrington, provost-marshal, and Major Turner, commanding military prison, that they were apprehensive of an emeute among the Federal prisoners on Belle Isle, on account of their suffering from want of any shelter and destitution of blankets or other covering, I issued the within order to Captain Morfist. assistant quartermaster, to make provision for them. From his indorsements and inclosures you will see that it cannot be complied with. The same endeavors have been made before with the same want of success - the quartermaster's department being unable to fill the requisitions.

The guard on the island is composed of convalescent soldiers and officers from the various hospitals in the city, and numbers this morning 327 men and 9 commissioned officers. Numbers of prisoners on the island about 6,000. I see no prospect of the speedy completion of the prison at Columbia, S. C.

Captain Richardson, the quartermaster on duty there, writes that he cannot obtain funds, material, transportation, or labor, and has just asked for instructions on these points. I submitted his letter to the Quartermaster-General, and informed him (Captain Richardson) how to go about getting money and transportation. Yankee prisoners could do the labor if we could get a guard of 180 men to watch them, but all the reserves have been ordered to Charleston from Columbia, and General Sam. Jones cannot spare the men.

A large number of negroes have been impressed in South Carolina for labor upon the works on the coast. Application was made to General Jones for the temporary use of some of them, but he replied that he could not spare them. Captain Richardson suggests that lumber may be obtained by impressing some mills near the city, and that labor might also be obtained by impressment. I left these points to be submitted to you by General Gardner, now absent on duty, upon his return.

Captain Richardson also stated that the engineer officer, Captain Hayden, would not undertake the construction of the works until he had submitted his plan to the Chief of the Engineer Bureau here and received his approval of it. General Gardner, I presume, will not delay for this purpose, but commence the building as soon as the quartermaster is ready.

I write this to inform you of the present state of affairs. When General Gardner returns from his tour of inspection he will have the honor to make any necessary suggestions. In his absence,

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GARNETT ANDREWS,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S. - Since writing the above I have made temporary provision for the prisoners referred to on Belle Isle by sending 600 to Danville (which fills that establishment to its utmost capacity) and by procuring a few