[Inclosure.]

Form of letter to be sent to the President of the Confederate States.

U. S. CHRISTIAN COMMISSION, CENTRAL OFFICE,

11 Bank Street, Philadelphia, --- -, 186-.

Honorable JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President Confederate States of America, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: The U. S. Christian Commission is very desirous of extending its benefits to our prisoners in Southern prisons. The commission is probably known to you by reports of relief given to your own wounded in our hands on many battle-fields and prisoners in many prisons. it is a voluntary agency - Christian, not political; evangelical, not denominational - and send earnest Christian men as delegates to minister in person to the spiritual and physical relief and benefit of the army and navy, and furnishes stores and good reading matter for distribution by its delegates. The U. S. authorities, at our earnest request, have consented to permit us to send a suitable number of unexceptionable Christian men as delegates, with stores and publications, to the various Southern military prisons. They also allow us to assure you that if you will assent to our proposition it shall be reciprocated fully, if you desire it, by permission for a like number of unexceptionable Christian men from the South to come North and minister to your soldiers in the U. S. military prisons. We propose, therefore, to send the gentlemen named below,* to be assigned, with your approbation, to duty severally where they may render greatest service amongst the various Southern military prisons, with the assurance on their part and ours that they will confine themselves sacredly to their appropriate and legitimate work among the prisoners. And we now urgently request your assent to this our proposition.

COLUMBIA, December 22, 1864.

General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General:

Savannah evacuated. Had not the prisoners from Columbia, Salisbury, and Florence better be removed immediately to Andersonville? Only one road now open by way of Branchville to Augusta. I think there is not a moment to be lost. Please answer at once.

JNO H. WINDER,

Brigadier-General.

[Indorsement.]

Respectfully submitted to His Excellency the President.

H. L. CLAY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

RICHMOND, VA., December 22, 1864.

Major R. W. MEMMINGER, Charleston, S. C.:

Send money for Federal officers to Commissioner Ould.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

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*See p. 1258.

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