WASHINGTON, D. C., December 7, 1864.

Colonel A. A. STEVENS,

Commanding Camp Morton, Indianapolis, Ind.:

COLONEL: In reply to your letter of the 27th ultimo, relative to the erection of hospital buildings at Camp Morton, I have the honor, by direction of the Commissary-General of Prisoners, to inform you that the recommendation of Surgeon Kipp is approved. The side walls of the two wards recently erected and of the four new ones now being built may be plastered, the expense not to exceed $50 per ward.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. BLAGDEN,

Major, Second Mass. Cav., Asst. to Com. General of Prisoners.

DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, December 7, 1864.

Brevet Brigadier-General HOFFMAN,

Inspector and Com. General of Prisoners, Washington D. C.:

I respectfully call your attention to papers forwarded relative to prisons in this city and the necessity of establishing a new prison. Is it probable that you will visit Saint Louis soon?

JOSEPH DARR, JR.,

Acting Provost-Marshal-General.

Major J. R. CURELL,

Assistant Agent of Exchange, Mobile, Ala.:

MAJOR: I have an appointment to meet Major Szymanski at Galveston, Tex., on the 10th instant, at which time he will deliver to me the equivalents for the prisoners of the garrison of Fort Gaines. As soon as practicable after my return from Galveston I shall deliver to you the prisoners thus exchanged for, and will give you previous notice of the time and place at which they will be delivered. This delivery will leave in our hands no army prisoners whose exchange has been negotiated between us. But I shall be glad to make at the same time a special exchange for Lieutenant I. N. Earl, Fourth Wisconsin Cavalry, who was wounded and taken prisoner by your forces in a skirmish at Clinton, La., on the 29th ultimo.

I will deliver to you in exchange for Lieutenant Earl any officer of like rank from among the prisoners now held by us in this department captured from the forces of your department.

We have, as you know, several officers of the staff of General Hodge, lately captured at or near Liberty by the forces under Brigadier General A. L. Lee, one captain, --- ---, assistant adjutant-general, and one lieutenant, H. L. Davis, aide-de-camp. Either of these gentleman will be exchanged for Lieutenant Earl.

I had the honor to address you a communication under date of November 5, asking that you would give me official information whether the naval officers sent North by Admiral Farragut had been exchanged, in order that I might communicate the fact to Major Szymanski. I have not had the pleasure of hearing from you in answer to that inquiry.

Major Szymanski still declines to make any delivery of naval prisoners unless Admiral Buchanan is included in the exchange. Admiral Buchanan has arrived at New York, and I sincerely hope that his