Fourth. Communication of General R. E. Lee, commanding Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, relative to the treatment of certain prisoners of war, and inclosures. *

Fifth. My reply thereto. *

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

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

FORT DELAWARE, DEL., October 23, 1864.

Brigadier General A. SCHOEPF, Commanding Post:

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following inspection report of the prisoners of war at Fort Delaware, Del., for the week ending October 22, 1864.

Conduct, good; cleanliness, proper attention given to; clothing, comfortable; bedding, in accordance with allowance; state of quarters, clean and comfortable; state of kitchen, in an excellent condition; food, quality of, very good; food, quantity of, receive their full rations; sinks, are kept in good condition; policing of grounds, very well conducted; drainage, very good; vigilance of guard, faithfully performs its duty; security of quarters, good; policing hospital, admirably conducted; attendance of sick (nurses), every possible attention is paid them; cleanliness of hospital, could not be better; hospital diet, very good and sufficient; general health of prisoners, about 3 1/2 per cent. sick, no deaths.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. W. AHL,

Captain, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Inspecting Officer.

WASHINGTON, D. C., October 23, 1864.

Brigadier General J. BARNES, Commanding Point Lookout, Md.:

GENERAL: Your application for more tents for the use of prisoners of war has been submitted to the Secretary of War, by whom I am directed to say that no additional tents can be furnished while there are any on hand which can be used in any way to shelter the prisoners. The tents reported unserviceable can be used by nailing them over frames having about the dimensions of a wall tent. The lumber and nails required for this purpose can be purchased from the prison fund. Please report how far you are able to carry out this suggestion, and how many prisoners can be provided for in this way.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.

HDQRS. FORTY-SEVENTH Regiment MISSOURI INFANTRY,
De So to, October 23, 1864.

Colonel B. L. E. BONNEVILLE, Commanding Benton Barracks:

COLONEL: I have the honor to state that several enlisted men of Companies A, E, F, G, H, and I, of this regiment, and a number of men

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*See pp. 1010, 1018.

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