OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., February 9, 1865.

Colonel ERNEST W. HOLMSTEDT, Commanding Ship Island, Miss.:

COLONEL: I have the honor, by direction of the Commissary-General of Prisoners, to acknowledge the receipt of the weekly inspection report at Ship Island for the weeks ending December 31 and January 7. The clothing received from the military authorities at New Orleans should not be issued to prisoners, as arrangements have been made between the United States Government and the rebel authorities by which each is to furnish its own prisoners with necessary supplies. Brigadier General H. E. Paine, U. S. Volunteers, who has the matter in charge, has been notified that clothing and blankets are required for the use of the prisoners at Ship Island. Inclosed is a copy of General Orders, Numbers 3, from this office for your information.*

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

G. BLAGDEN,

Major, Second Mass. Cav., Asst. to Com. General of Prisoners.

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST-MARSHAL,

POST AND DEFENSES OF MEMPHIS,

Memphis, Tenn., February 9, 1865.

Brigadier General H. W. WESSELLS, U. S. Volunteers,

Inspector and Commissary-General of Prisoners:

SIR: I have the honor to return herewith the report+ of prisoners of war for five days ending January 15, 1865, with the following explanation: Those persons opposite whose names is written the word Federal were formerly Federal soldiers but enlisted from the military prison at Andersonville, Ga., in the Tenth Tennessee Infantry and were captured by Brigadier-General Grierson on the expedition from this place to Vicksburg, 28th of December, 1864. The general commanding directed that they should be reported as prisoners of war with others captured at the same time. I have also added the names of seven prisoners found on the roll of prisoners forwarded and not inserted on this.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. R. LACKLAND,

Lieutenant Colonel 108th Illinois Infantry and Provost-Marshal.

WINCHESTER, February 9, 1865.

Captain W. H. WIEGEL, Provost-Marshal, Baltimore:

The sixteen prisoners forwarded you January 30 will be sent at once to Fort McHenry as guerrillas, not to be exchanged during the war.

By order of Major-General Sheridan:

E. B. PARSONS,

Assistant Provost-Marshal-General.

U. S. MILITARY PRISON,

Rock Island, Ill., February 9, 1865.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States:

We, the undersigned, in behalf of a large number of the prisoners confined at this place, respectfully ask your approval and sanction to

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* See Vol. VII, this series, p. 1230.

+ Omitted.

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