[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, January 3, 1865.

Respectfully forwarded to Lieutenant General U. S. Grant, commanding, &c.

By order of Major-General Halleck:

J. C. KELTON,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure.]

NEW YORK, December 30, 1864.

Colonel ROBERT OULD, Agent of Exchange, Richmond, Va.:

COLONEL: In a communication to you of the 6th instant I asked that six assistants might be granted the U. S. agent in the South to carry out promptly the late arrangement to supply prisoners; that if this was done I would be granted the same number. No reply has been received from you. I also wrote you on the 26th instant. I see that Brigadier-General Hayes has a colonel to assist him in the South. I have on this ground asked that Captain Beall Hempstead, my assistant adjutant-general, now at Johnson's Island, be paroled to assist me. I need his services much and ask that you will make such arrangements as will enable me to have them. The prisoners of war at the several prisons are much in need of tobacco, and since it is very high here I would suggest that it be sent from the South to me to be distributed. I learn from the prisoners that there are many boxes of supplies for them that have come from the South via flag of truce and are now detained at Fort Monroe, Va., on account of some charges to be paid on them. I have to-day written the commander at said post, asking him to have them forwarded, &c. Will you please communicate to me the course to be pursued in order to insure a prompt transmission of stores from the South. I have been unable to learn anything of the cotton. When Admiral Farragut left Mobile Bay about the 3rd of December no "orders had been received to pass it. " I have all things ready to make purchases on arrival of the cotton. Am not permitted to do so before. Can't you make some arrangement that will permit the sutlers at the prisons to sell vegetables to our prisoners? They need them much.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. N. R. BEALL,

Brigadier-General, Provisional Army, C. S.,

Paroled Prisoner of War and Agent to Supply Prisoners of War.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., December 30, 1864.

Brigadier General A. SCHOEPF, Commanding Fort Delaware, Del.:

Send without delay all rebel officers now at Fort Delaware who were captured at Helena, Ark., July 4, 1863, and all officers captured by forces of Major-General Steele in the Department of Arkansas prior to July 28, 1864, to Johnson's Island.

If there are any officers at Fort Delaware captured at Fort Bulter, Donaldsonville, La., in June, 1863, they will also be sent.

As these officers are to be sent to New Orleans via Cairo for exchange, none who desire to take the oath will be sent. Forward a roll to this office without delay of those transferred.

By order of Brigadier General H. W. Wessells, Inspector and Commissary-General of Prisoners:

W. T. HARTZ,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

82 R R - SERIES II, VOL VII