issued to prisoners I will state that I forwarded the requisition to your office for approval on the 1st day of September last, and to-day the clothing arrived at camp, which was one month and seven days from the time of forwarding the requisition from this office; but in the meanwhile we have issued the balance of clothing we had on hand at that time to the most destitute cases, and in that manner no very great inconvenience has been experienced.

According to the instructions contained in your letter of the 14th of September I immediately commenced the construction of two wards of the new hospital; but as much of the materials had to be collected together from different sources it has been but a few days of this week that the carpenters could work, owing to the heavy and continued rain, but I think I shall be able to report them next week as completed. In regard to the improvements in the old barracks, as estimated in my letter to you of August 16, 1864, I will respectfully state that I have never received any instructions to make the repairs as specified in my estimate, and consequently I went on and repaired them in a different manner from some old lumber which I was able to collect about the camp, as will be seen by reference to my letter of September 12, 1864. The barracks referred to are now as comfortable as other barracks in the camp, but only with a half or shed roof, while by adding another half to them and an additional side, they would accommodate double the number of prisoners that they now do. I will submit a plan and estimate of barracks which will be required the coming winter as soon as it can be made. The hospital repairs will be pushed forward as rapidly as possible, and when two wards are completed I will immediately report the cost, as directed in ; your letter of the 14th September, 1864. I would respectfully recommend several changes which I think could be made by the prisoners doing the work, which would be highly beneficial to the camp, one of which I will mention in this letter, which is the removal of the old barracks form the close proximity to the fence, turning them about, and forming streets between them, and also raising them up form the ground and flooring. This would prevent the incessant attempts at tunneling, and also be of the greatest importance as a sanitary measure, as the barracks could then be thoroughly washed and cleansed whenever necessary.

I trust that, although my reports have not been sufficient in their detail, nothing has been neglected in the camp, either in its police or discipline, and that your inspector my have the satisfaction of noting a very great improvement since his last visit.

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

A. A. STEVENS,

Colonel Fifth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps, Commanding.

RICHMOND, VA., October 7, 1864.

Memoranda addressed to Major John E. Mulford, assistant agent of exchange.

In several of our late interviews we have conversed about prisoners who were held in close confinement or irons. My proposition was that all such should be released and put on the footing of prisoners of war. I thought and still think that would be the most satisfactory adjustment of the difficulties attending such cases. I understood you and your authorities assenting to my views, and accordingly I made preparations for relieving all your people from the position in which they