[Indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., February 23, 1865.

Respectfully returned to Brigadier General H. E. Paine.

General Beall is at liberty to furnish bedsacks for the prisoners in our hands or not, according to his own judgment of their necessity. Bedsacks have not been furnished for the use of Federal prisoners held by the enemy at the South, nor are they likely to be unless by our own Government.

W. HOFFMAN,

Bvt. Brigadier General, U. S. Army, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

HEADQUARTERS FORT WARREN,
Boston Harbor, February 20, 1865.

Brigadier General WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: There are three prisoners of war confined at this post who have been held in close confinement. Two of them refuse to be sent South for exchange. The other will be forwarded at once.

H. A. ALLEN,

Major, Second U. S. Artillery, Commanding Post.

WASHINGTON, D. C., February 20, 1865.

Captain S. E. JONES, Louisville, Ky.:

Telegram received. Telegram of the 19th covers all rebel prisoners in close confinement or in irons, whether sentence is published or not.

W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WASHINGTON, D. C., February 20, 1865.

Captain S. E. JONES, Provost-Marshal, Louisville, Ky.:

CAPTAIN: In reply to your letter of the 31st ultimo, I am directed by the Commissary-General of Prisoners to inform you that loyal clergymen may be permitted to hold service in the prison on the Sabbath, provided the prisoners desire it, but they cannot be allowed to visit the barracks or converse with individuals. Prisoners seriously ill in the hospital may, if they request it, be assisted by a clergyman.

Prisoners of war reported to this office will not be transferred from one prison to another unless by direction of the Commissary-General of Prisoners. Applications for the return of a prisoner for trial should be made to this office. Prisoners turned over to you as prisoners of war should be forwarded to permanent depots. It is not incumbent upon you to investigate their cases.

Paragraph 2 of Circular Numbers 4 has been so modified as to allow the purchase by prisoners of such vegetables as are necessary for their health. No other change has been made in the circular.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. BLAGDEN,

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