along the turnpike leading from Lewisburg to Mooresville, for the distance of about four miles, when they left the road and turned to the right for the purpose, as they were told by the guard, of stopping at a neighboring house for the night. When they had reached a wooded ravine, about half a mile from the turnpike, the leading man of the guard halted, partially turned his horse, and, as one of the officers came up, drew his revolver and without uttering a word shot him in the head. The other two officers were then killed by being shot through the head with carbines, and their bodies were next morning decently buried, but not by your troops, upon the premises of a citizen living near. It is supposed that the enlisted men, who were taken off on another road, met a similar fate to that of the officers. I have the names of these officers in my possession, and the whole that is herein stated is susceptible of proof.

It is my desire as far as lies in my power to mitigate the horrors of this war as much as possible, but I will not consent that my soldiers shall be thus brutally murdered whenever the fortunes of war place them defenseless within your power. Such acts on the part of the soldiers of your army are of by no means rare occurrences. A case which occurs to my mind now, and of which no mention has heretofore been made to either your predecessor in command or yourself, is that of the murder of ten prisoners of war by a portion of Ross' brigade, of Wheeler's command, at Wood's Gap, between Gordon's Mills and Dalton, early in April last. Should my troops, exasperated by a repetition of such acts, take no prisoners of war at all in future, I shall in no manner interfere in this exercise of their just vengeance, and you will fully understand their reasons as well as mine, and you will please remember that it is your army and not mine who is responsible for the inauguration of the dreadful policy of extermination.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS PRISON CAMP,
Elmira, N. Y., January 13, 1865.

Lieutenant R. J. McKEE, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that prisoners of war in this camp receive rations each man daily as follows: For breakfast, eight ounces of bread, eight ounces of meat; for dinner, eight ounces of bread, one pint and a half soup of excellent quality, made from meat, potatoes, onions, and beans. The great majority get a piece of meat in the soup. Extra-duty men receive per day twenty-four ounces of bread, sixteen ounces of meat, and two pints of soup, and coffee with each meal (three meals per day).

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

STEPHEN MOORE,

Lieutenant Colonel Sixteenth Regiment Vet. Reserve Corps, Commanding Camp.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., January 13, 1865.

Major IG. SZYMANSKI,

Asst. Agent of Exchange, Trans-Mississippi Dept., C. S. Army:

MAJOR: I have the honor to inclose to you herewith official copies of two papers relating to and disposing of the case of the paroles given

5 R R--SERIES II, VOL VIII