in Boston Harbor, is available for the confinement of the rebel general officers now confined at Johnson's Island you are instructed to remove them from the latter to the former place, taking especial care that they do not escape.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS POST AND C. S. MILITARY PRISONS, Richmond, October 14, 1864.

General BRAXTON BRAGG,
Commanding Armies of the Confederate States:

GENERAL: In obedience to your wishes expressed in conversation this morning, I have the honor to give you the following information concerning the military prisons under my charge. I inclose a copy of the order putting me in command, that you may see the extent of my authority. *

In Richmond there are at present but a few hundred prisoners of war, the captures of the last four or five days and some few awaiting exchange by direction of Commissioner Ould.

At Lynchburg there is a receiving and forwarding depot for Eaerly's army and West Virginia.

At Danville there are 2,400.

Salisubry, 8,300; 7,500 of these are prisoners of war sent there last week from this place. The balance are soldiers undergoing sentence of court-martial citizens, negroes, &c.

Columbia, S. C. - There are 298 Federal officers confined in Richland Jail, at this place, and in a camp about five miles from the city are 1,300 other officers recently sent from Charleston by Major General Sam. Jones, without my knowledge or consent, and placed by him in charge of Captain E. A. Semple, whom I had sent there for another purpose, viz, to superintendent the construction of a very large prison, which I am directed by the Secretary of War to have built. Captain Semple represents that these officers were thrown suddenly on his hands, giving him no time for preparation, and that he is want of almost everything necessary for their accommodation.

Florence, S. C. - I have heard unofficially that there is a large number of prisoners at this place, but they have never been reported to me. I do not know by whose order they were sent or anything about them. I suppose they are some of the prisoners recently confined at Andersonville, Ga., and are sent to Florence by General Winder. I have sent a copy of the inclosed order to the officer in charge with instructions to report at once.

At Charleston there have been confined about 1,600 prisoners, mostly officers; 1,300 of them are now at Columbia (as above mentioned). The balance were naval and marine prisoners, who have been recently exchanged. I have never been able to get any reports from this place, though the blank forms, accompanied by written orders and instructions, were delivered by one of my staff officers in person when I first took command. I written explanation of his non-compliance with the order has been demanded of the prison commandant, but that, too, is unanswered. There have been several changes of prison commandants there within the last two months, which may account for it, and I do not know who is the officer in charge there now, if there is any at

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*See July 26, p. 501.

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