of the various departments at New Orleans they were quite as well provided for as are our own sick troops. The condition of these prisoners might now be vastly improved if they manifested a proper disposition to take care of each other or even of themselves. As a general thing they are filthy in their habits and about their persons. Unless forced to do so they will not use exercise enough to keep themselves in a healthy condition. Although their camp is located with a few feet of the beach (one of the finest bathing places in the world), to which they have free access, some of them have not washed their hands and faces since their arrival here, now nearly three months. They have not animation or decency enough to employ the means suggested to cleanse themselves of the vermin which infest their persons and clothing. Some of them die from absolute indolence and filthiness. Their cooks and nurses are selected from among their own body and furnished with everything that is afforded our own troops, and if there is any neglect of proper attention to the diet, cooking, and care of the sick the fault rests with themselves. At the time of Surgeon Getty's inspection the prisoners were without clothing to wash, and on that account no provision was made for washing. Since then the sick have been provided with beds, blankets, &c., and women have been employed to keep them clean. These, it is presumed, will receive their pay from the prisoners' fund. Scurvy, with which very many of the prisoners were afflicted when they came here, has ad, from the use of acids and vegetable diet, an abundance of which has been procured. No new cases have occurred. Most of the deaths that have taken place were cases of chronic diarrhea and dysentery, pneumonia, consumption, typhoid and other fevers. All of these were sick, and most of them helpless at the time of the Surgeon Getty's inspection for want of the necessary means. As soon as reliable virus could be obtained it received the proper share of the surgeon's attention. The cases of smallpox were brought, not acquired, here.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN H. GIHOU,

Asst. Surg., 74th U. S. Colored Infty., and Acting Post Surgeon.

LOUISVILLE, December 22, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

Many of the prisoners now passing through this city are destitute of shoes. I respectfully suggest that they be issued, to be paid for by the rebel authorities through General W. N. R. Beall.

Respectfully,

W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners West of the Miss.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, December 22, 1864.

Brevet Brigadier-General HOFFMAN, Louisville:

The Secretary of War desires to know whether the prisoners whom you suggest should be supplied with shoes out of the U. S. stores are any part of that rebel army recently engaged in killing Union troops at Nashville, and whether they are more destitute or worse provided for