when an exchange of prisoners is made we give them soldiers hale and hearty, ready to again enter the field and give us battle, but receive in return men pale and emaciated, fit only for the hospital. We deem it due to them, especially to those now in Southern prisons, to protest against this unequal warfare.

If consideration and kindly treatment of prisoners could waken in our enemies a sufficient sense of humanity to lead to a reciprocity of treatment these abuses would have been corrected long ago.

It is not too much to say that nothing in the conduct of the war presents so great an obstacle to those who would otherwise volunteer, and nothing will cause the drafted solider to take such reluctant steps to the field so much as the dread of the horrors of Southern prisons.

The object of this petitio is not to give you information upon what we know you lament as well as we, but to give you an idea of public opinion formed upon a stern necessity.

This petition was presented to the full board at their session on this day and was unanimously adopted by them.

With high consideration, sir, your very obedient servants,

JOHN L. HANCOCK,

President.

JNO F. BEATY,

Secretary.

[First indorsement.]

OCTOBER 31, 1864.

Submitted to General Hitchcock.

A. LINCOLN.

[Second indorsement.]

OCTOBER 31, 1864.

It is hoped that the arrangement recently agreed upon between Lieutenant-General grant and General Lee for furnishing supplies to prisoners of war on both sides of the line will render unnecessary a resort to the terrible measure here recommended.

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers.

CITY POINT, October 20, 1864.

General BUTLER:

I am in receipt of a communication from General Lee showing that prisoners of war set to work on the intrenchments have been withdrawn. I will send you the communication to-morrow. It becomes incumbent on us, of course, to withdraw the prisoners employed in Dutch Gap Canal. Please withdraw them and have them forwarded to join the prisoners of war North.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE JAMES,
October 20, 1864. -9. 50 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT, City Point:

Your telegram concerning the official dispatch of General Lee regarding the prisoners at work in the rebel trenches is received. Orders