not wishing to employ them here, I ordered them to be sent into the interior. By a misapprehension of the engineer officer in charge they were transferred to our lines south of James River, but when apprised of the error I repeated the order for their removal. If any negroes were included among the number who were not identified as the slaves of citizens or residents of some of the Confederate States they were so included without the knowledge or authority of the War Department, as already explained, and the mistake when discovered would have been corrected.

It only remains for me to say that the negroes employed upon our fortifications are not allowed to be placed where they will be exposed to fire, and there is no foundation for any statement to the contrary. The author of the communication referred to has considered himself justified by the report of two deserters, who do not allege that the negroes in question were exposed to any danger, in placing our prisoners at labor in the canal at Dutch Gap under the fire of our batteries.

In view of the explanation of the practice of the Confederate Government above given and of the statement of facts I have made, I have now, in accordance with my instructions, respectfully to inquire whether the course pursued toward our prisoners, as set forth in the accompanying letters, has your sanction, and whether it will be maintained. *

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

MACON, GA., October 19, 1864.

Surg. General S. P. MOORE, C. S. Army,

War Department, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: I have the honor to give the following brief outline of my labors, conducted in accordance with the orders of the Surgeon-General:

Immediately after the brief report upon hospital gangrene forwarded to the Surgeon-General I repaired to Camp Sumter, Andersonville, Ga., and instituted a series of investigations upon the diseases of the Federal prisoners.

The field was of great extent and of extraordinary interest. There were more than 5,000 seriously sick in the hospital and stockade, and the deaths ranged from 90 to 130 each day.

Since the establishment of this prison on 24th of February, 1864, to the present time over 10,000 Federal prisoners have died; that is, near one-third of the entire number have perished in less than seven months.

I instituted careful investigations into the condition of the sick and well and performed numerous post-mort en examinations. The medical topography of Andersonville and the surrounding country was examined, and the waters of the streams, springs, and wells around and within the stockade and hospital carefully analyzed.

Diarrhea, dysentery, scurvy, and hospital gangrene were the diseases which have been the main cause of this extraordinary mortality. The origin and character of the hospital gangrene which prevailed to so remarkable a degree and with such fatal effects amongst the Federal

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*For inclosures herein mentioned see Butler to Ould, October 12, beginning "I inclose a copy" (with inclosure), p. 970, and butler to Ould, October 12, beginning "I inclose herewith" (with inclosure), p. 967. Lee forwarded only the affidavits of Knight and Kinking, p. 968.

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