CITY POINT, March 13, 1865 - 4 p. m.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

Under agreement to release all prisoners in close confinement or irons we are getting all of our prisoners of that class. From the number of cases still in irons in the North it seems General Hoffman is not sending forward prisoners of this class according to the agreement. Will you please direct him to send forward those in Alton and at all other points where they are still left back?

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

[Indorsement.]

MARCH 14, 1865.

Respectfully referred to Brevet Brigadier-General Hoffman to carry out General Grant's instructions.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 13, 1865.

Bvt. Brigadier General W. P. RICHARDSON,

Commanding Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 8th instant, reporting the practice of furnishing transportation to discharged prisoners, is received. The special instructions given in the cases referred to were not intended to establish a general system. The issuing of the second order shows that the first one was intended to apply to the particular case, and the wording of the second order confines it to the prisoners referred to. The practice has not been known to this office because the accounts have been presented to the Quartermaster's Department for payment; otherwise it would have been disapproved as soon as noticed. Prisoners are discharged at other stations without being furnished with transportation to their homes, unless it is done by their friends, and it does not seem to be attended with any inconvenience. The demand for labor is very great, and they soon earn the means of supporting themselves.

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

W. HOFFMAN,

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

RICHMOND, March 13, 1865.

To the Honorable COMMITTEE OF THE CONFEDERATE SENATE:

SIRS: During a short conference held on yesterday, at the suggestion of Colonel Ould, between the Honorable Senator Watson, a member of your committee, and myself, the statements which I then made respecting my own treatment and that of other prisoners confined by the Federal authorities at Lexington, Ky., during the past fall and winter, was regarded by Mr. Watson of so much importance that he request me to state some of the material facts which were presented in that conversation in writin, under the impression, as I learned, that they might be of use part of a record now being made by the Confederate