CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, WAR DEPARTMENT,

Richmond, September 27, 1864.

Rear-Admiral S. P. LEE, U. S. Navy:

SIR: I n consequence of the presence of yellow fever at Charleston and its neighborhood it is deemed advisable that the proposed delivery of naval prisoners should not occur at that place. Accordingly, the orders previously issued directing that the Federal navy prisoners should be forwarded to Charleston for exchange have been countermanded, and they will be sent to some other place near Richmond to await the arrival of the naval prisoners in the hands of you authorities.

I would much prefer and recommend that Varina, on James River be selected as the place where the mutual delivery shall be made. I will thank you to communicate the substance of this letter to Secretary Welles by telegraph or by such other means as will secure its early reception by him.

Secretary Welles informed Secretary Mallory that the Confederate naval prisoners would leave Boston in the Circassion for Port Royal in a few days. I am in hopes that this communication will reach Secretary Welles before the departure of the Circassian, so that our prisoners may be sent to James River instead of Hilton Head.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

RO, OULD,

Agent of Exchange.

MEMPHIS, TENN., September 27, 1864.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN, U. S. Army,

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

COLONEL: I have the honor to inclose a report of a medical inspection of the military prison at Columbus, Ky. I leave to-night for Devall's Bluff.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. M. GETTY,

Surg., U. S. Army, and Actg. Medical Inspector of Paroled Prisoners.

[Inclosure.]

Report of a medical inspection of the military prison at Columbus, Ky., commanded by Captain F. H. Chapman, Second Illinois Light Artillery, and post provost-marshal, made on the 24th day of September, 1864, by Surg. T. M. Getty, acting medical inspector of prisoners of war.

Prison, name and geographical position - military prison, Columbus, Ky. Topography of surrounding country - hilly. Topography of locality, drainage - Mississippi bottom, surface. Water, source, supply, quality, effects - Mississippi, abundant, excellent. Fuel, whence obtained, kind, supply - from the surrounding country, oak, &c., abundant. Local causes of disease, removal, mitigation - none. Prison, how arranged, how long occupied - a wooden inclosure 125 by 90 feet, 18 feet high, two years and a half. Prison, previous use of ground - a rebel prison that was burned long ago. Huts, construction, size, number of men to each - log, prison proper 22 by 64 feet, two stoves, office 28 by 32, two stoves, kitchen 18 by 24, stoves, scrubbing, good enough. Sinks and cesspools, construction, position, management - wooden, within the walls, pretty good. Removal of offal and rubbish, police of