providing other means to house them the prisoners will be forced to lie on the bare sand beach.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ERNEST W. HOLMSTEDT,

Colonel, Commanding Post.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. C. S. MILITARY PRISONS,

EAST OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER,

Numbers 5.
Salisbury, N. C., March 20, 1865.

I. Pursuant to the orders of the War Department the undersigned assumes command of the C. S. military prisons east of the Mississippi River.

II. The following officers are announced on the staff of the brigadier-general commanding: Captain William G. Barth, assistant adjutant-general; Major R. B. Winder, chief quartermasters; Surg. I. H. White, chief surgeon.

III. Until further orders the headquarters of the Commissary-General of Prisoners will be located at Salisbury, N. C., to which point all communication will be addressed.

W. M. GARDNER,

Brigadier-General, Provisional Army, C. S.

MACON, March 20, 1865.

Lieutenant General R. TAYLOR,

Commanding Dept. of Ala., Miss., and E. La., Meridian, Miss.:

GENERAL: I inclose copies of my instructions* relative to the exchanged of prisoners of war now confined in the States of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, and would most respectfully request such information and assistance as you may be able to give me. The last clause of my instructions to deliver prisoners of war to the Federal authorities at Mobile, or other point that might be agreed upon, is intended to include prisoners held by officers in the field, as Commissioner Ould was informed that General Forrest, under your command, held prisoners of war in his military district. Please be kind enough to have me furnished with the number of these prisoners, and at what points they are confined, and, if possible, the number of prisoners exchanged at Iuka and the number sill remaining in Alabama and Mississippi, and at what points.

Major-General Cobb has sent an officers to Savannah to confer with the Federal commander to ascertain if prisoners would be received there; also a telegram to yourself requesting that your confer with the Federal commander at Mobile to ascertain if prisoners would be received either at Saint Mark's or Jacksonville, Fla., or any other point the latter might suggest. I would most respectfully request an early response, as it will greatly expedite the exchange of prisoners.

Any communication addressed to care to Major-General Cobb at this point will reach me.

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

JNO C. RUTHERFORD,

Captain, &c.

---------------

* See Ould to Rutherford, February 20, and Muflord to Ould, February 16, pp. 277, 238, respectively.

---------------

27 R R-SERIES II, VOL VIII