letter of John Brusnan, prisoner of war, forwarded from your office for our information January 11. It is almost unnecessary for me to say that the statements made by the prisoner Brusnan are outrageously false. The daily ration for each prisoner is uniformly as follows: For breakfast, eight ounces bread, eight ounces meat; for dinner, eight ounces bread, one pint and a half soup of excellent quality, made from the meat, potatoes, onions, and beans. Extra-duty men receive per day eighteen ounces bread, sixteen ounces meat, and two pints soup. Three meals, and coffee with each. The total number of deaths among prisoners of war at this station to December 31, 1864, was 1,264. The average number of deaths daily for the sixteen days ending December 31 was seven. As regards letters from prisoners of war being secreted out of camp, I have the honor to state that about January 1 we discovered that letters were mailed which did not not pass through the hands of the examiner. We have intercepted some hundred of such letters and discovered the parties engaged in the business. One commissioned officer, one acting assistant surgeon, and two enlisted men have been arrested and charges preferred against them. We have adopted such measures for the future for the detection of parties attempting to secrete letters out of camp that it will be very difficult, if not impossible, for them to escape discovery. I would respectfully request that the application of the prisoner John Brusnan to take the oath of allegiance to the United States be recalled and he be held for exchange in case of opportunity.

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

B. F. TRACY,

Colonel 127th U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Depot Prisoners of War.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE GULF,
Mobile, Ala., January 15, 1865.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: Please inform the Secretary of War that the cotton for purchase of supplies for our prisoners was delivered to an officer appointed by General Granger to receive it on the 13th instant. The lightest draft boat in this harbor capable of taking out the cotton was selected. Her draft when loaded was about four feet. There is only one point at which such a boat can pass in or out, and then only when the tide is high. After this boat was loaded no tide came up sufficient to take her out. The cotton was then transferred to flats, and the boat thereby enabled to pass out. Before she could be reloaded a violent storm came up and caused one of the flats with the cotton on it to break adrift. Two days' delay occurred from this cause. Every effort and means have been exerted to insure prompt execution of the instructions relative to this business, and no delay has occurred which it has been in my power to prevent.

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

DABNEY H. MAURY,

Major-General, Commanding.

[First indorsement.]

ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

February 2, 1865.

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War.

H. L. CLAY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.