the prisoners and make report. If you agree with me in this opinion, direct the Adjutant- General to send a suitable officer without delay.

JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE,

Secretary of War.

[Second indorsement.]

FEBRUARY 7, 1865.

ADJUTANT- GENERAL:

Cause an inspection to be made of the prison at Salisbury,a nd have such directions given to the inspection officer as will enable him to correct the evils complained of.

By order:

J. A. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Secretary of War.

[Third indorsement.]

COLONEL: Pd like you to attend to this matter.

R. H. C[HILTON]

COLUMBIA, February 1, 1865.

General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General:

I cannot [get] along with present arrangement of Subsistence Department. Must have an assistant commissary for the prisoners here.

Please send one.

JNO H. WINDER,

Brigadier-General.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Raleigh, February 1, 1865.

General BRADLEY T. JOHNSON, Salisbury, N. C.:

Most distressing accounts reach me of the suffering and destitution of the Yankee prisoners under your charge. If the half be true, it is disgraceful to our humanity and will provoke severe retaliation. i hope, however, it is not so bad as represented; but lest it be so, I hereby tender you any aid in my power to afford to make their condition more tolerable. I know the great scarcity of food which prevails, but shelter and warmth can certainly be provided,a nd I can spare you some clothing if the Yankees will deliver as much to North Carolina troops in Northern prisons. Please let me hear from you.

Respectfully, yours,

Z. B. VANCE.

MILITARY PRISON, Meridian, Miss., [February 1, 1865.].

Captain J. JH. TREZEVANT, Commanding Post of Meridian, Miss.:

CAPTAIN: We, the undersigned, on behalf of the Federal officers confined at this post, beg leave to submit the following statement in regard to our present situation: We are at present confined in a stockade with a lost of Confederate prisoners who are there for most every offense,a nd many of them are bad characters, disposed to steal everything they can lay hands on. Our quarters are heated by a fire built in the center which fills the apartment with smoke. The grounds surrounding them