nish blankets, hence I have recommended that material be furnished them for constructing houses.

There are fortifications on two sides of the stockade to guard against raids, which consist, principally, of rifle-pits. The country is level, and the works will only serve as a protection for infantry against infantry, having no advantage in position.

The following troops are doing guard duty at this prison:

Effect Aggreg

ive. ate.

5th Georgia Regiment. . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 284

. . . . . . . . . . .

Major Gill's battalion reserves. . . . . . . 194 246

. . . . . .

Major Williams' battalion reserves. . . . . . 273 314

. . . .

Major Brown's battalion reserves. . . . . . . 267 328

. . . .

Major Ward's battalion reserves. . . . . . . 290 338

. . . . . .

Major Meriwether's battalion reserves. . . . 262 322

. . .

Each day there is detailed 6 commissioned and 17 non-commissioned officers and 336 privates for prison guard. There are fifty posts around the prison stockade and twenty-nine picket-posts (only at night), extending around the inclosure about twenty yards from the palisades to prevent tunneling. The dead-line is about ten or twelve feet from the palisades, and marked by a small ditch, for the most part, and in some places by a pole-fence, in the swamp by an imaginary line. Sentinels are instruct to fire without halting when a prisoner crosses this line. On each corner of the stockade a platform is erected, about the level of the sentinel's walk, for a piece of artillery.

The position is a poor one, as the prisoners, by a rush, could easily take possession of each piece, but the country is so level it is about the only position that artillery can be used. At present there is no artillery, although the platforms are completed.

I found 600 negroes still at work; only 100 of these however, are to be retained. Lieutenant Colonel J. f. Iversons and is charged with instructing and stationing all guards. He has four officers to assist him-Lieutenant Cheatham, as adjutant; Lieutenants Barrett and Harp, as inspectors, whose duty it is to see prison regulations enforced and superintend the counting of prisoners; Lieutenant Rees is charged with the burial of the dead, the average number of deaths being thirty a day. The prisoners are divided into detachments of 1,000 and companies of 100. There are eleven enlisted men detailed to count prisoners once every day at 6 a. m.

There is a sergeant selected from the prisoners for each 100, who calls the roll. there is a sutler, whose prices are regulated by a council of administration. Soldiers are allowed to trade with prisoners by permission of the commandant, under the supervision of the offices of the guard. Prisoners are not allowed to trade their clothing, or in greenbacks. No citizens are allowed in the stockade, except by special permission of the commanding officer. In some instances, where citizens wish to get greenbacks to send to relations in Northern prisons, they are allowed to purchase them from prisoners.

Sentinels are inexperienced-seem to be well instructed, but poorly understand their instructions.