rebels as clerks, in whatever department, is dangerous. Convalescents of our own Army could do that service much letter.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GUST. HEINRICHS,

Lieutenant Colonel Forty-first Missouri Regiment and Inspector Officer.

[Indorsement.]

Approved, with the remark that I have directed that gray cloth be provided by the sutler, that part of the sleeve may be marked as recommended by Colonel Heinrichs. Also, I have taken steps to reduce the number of rebels employed in hospital.

Respectfully referred to the Commissary-General of Prisoners.

J. H. BAKER,

Colonel and Provost-Marshal-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

OFFICE SUPT. AND INSPECTOR OF MILITARY PRISONS,

Saint Louis, February 5, 1865.

Captain R. C. ALLEN, Commanding Gratiot Street Prison:

CAPTAIN: You will please make a confidential report on the back of this letter on the danger of employing a rebel prisoner as clerk of the prison hospital department and the observations that you have made on the subject. Also as to the receiving visits by female friends of said clerk, and the possibility or probability of letters being smuggled into the prison through that source.

Respectfully, yours,

GUST. HEINRICHS,

Lieutenant Colonel, Inspector and Superintendent of Military Prisons.

[Indorsement.]

OFFICE GRATIOT STREET MILITARY PRISON,

Saint Louis, Mo., February 7, 1865.

Respectfully returned.

I bring no charges against any one connected with the hospital, but beg leave to call your attention to the changer of employing a prisoner as a clerk in the hospital office. It frequently occurs that this prisoner is alone in the office, and friends of prisoners coming into the office at such time might the able to pass letters, money, and other articles to prisoners. Prisoners from this side of the street are on detail in the branch hospital every day, and might carry letters and other articles to the prisoners on this side. The prisoner employed as clerk in the hospital has access to al official papers sent to the hospital, and thus obtains information which no prisoner should have.

R. C. ALLEN,

Captain, Fortieth Missouri Infantry, Commanding Prison.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY,
Lexington, Ky., February 14, 1865.

Major General JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE,

Commanding Department of West Virginia and East Tennessee:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your communication of 12th ultimo relative to Colonel John D. Morris, Lieutenant Colonel C. K. Johnson, and Major Theophilus Steele, prisoners in my hands, and