Owing to the recent large increase in number the present arrangements have been found entirely insufficient. At my suggestion the following are being or about to be made: The stockade and sink will be enlarged, as shown by the dotted lines on the accompanying diagram; a suitable cook-house and bake-oven is to be erected within the inclosure; one-half of the central portion of the building, now uncovered, to be roofed in and all of the prison that will then be covered to be planked in form the of down; a large portion of the water which had been diverted from the pipes leading to the prison by a citizen for his private convenience I have had turned on again, and the prisoners will have a sufficiency for all purpose as soon as a reservoir is constructed, which the commanding officer promises to have done.

Notwithstanding these improvements great suffering and much sickness will necessarily occur among the prisoners during this winter from the impracticability of making fires inside the building and the inability to furnish them with proper clothing and bedding. Most of them are now much in need of clothing, and nearly all are without blankets or other bedding. A very insufficient supply of cooking utensils has been furnished them, and there are but three worn-out axes for the use of the whole number, in consequence of which they are unable to prepare their rations, which are issued to them uncooked. Their food has consisted exclusively of bread and meat, two issues of rice only, of five days each, having been made them since June last, and no peas or beans in lieu of it, those on hand being utterly unfit for use. The reason assigned by the assistant commissary of subsistence for this failure (the guard forces having received rice regularly during this tim) is that he was not ordered to issue it. The commanding officer states that he was under the impression they always received it. The prisoners are divided into companies of 100, under a sergeant of their own selection, and these companies subdivided into messes of ten. One of their own number acts as commissary sergeant, draws and distributes their rations to the sergeants of companies.

Their money, watches, and other valuable are taken from them on their arrival at the prison and credited to them in books kept for that purpose. A purchasing clerk has been appointed, whose duty it is (in addition to those he performs as druggist of the prison) to receive their orders for such articles as they need, and if their accounts warrant make the necessary purchases for them, credit in Confederate money being allowed them for "greenbacks" at dollar for dollar only. A considerable amount of U. S. currency has thus accumulated in the hands of Captain Henderson. What disposition has been made of it I could not learn officially, he being absent from the post. There are now in the prison thirty-two very sick and about forty wounded prisoners, who, according to Surg. R. H. Whitfield, in special charge of the sick in prison, should be in hospital, but cannot be removed for want of the necessary accommodation. In addition there are a number of cases of scurvy.

The sick and wounded of the guard forces and of the prisoners are treated in the same hospital, which is under the charge of Surg. L. E. Profilet. This building is kept in good police, by the accommodations are entirely inadequate for the present number of patients. Some additional rooms in the same building, occupied by other parties, have at my suggestion been engaged, which, with part of a contiguous house that the commanding officer has promised me to have procured and have fitted up, will be sufficient for present needs.