all the guard to go out and leave their baggage with a small guard. A number made their escape from camp. Some were afterward captured and brought back. On the next day Major Griswold came out to camp and took the command, and said to me that Colonel Forno had ordered him out of town and go and stay at camp,which he did during the day, but always returned to town at night.

A day or two afterward I received an order from Major Griswold to have the prisoners ready for shipment. This duty was preformed, sending as many guards as could be spared with each detachment, and left Charlotte with the last 100, accompanied by Captain S. T. Bayly, assistant adjutant-general, but no guard. When about twelve miles from Charlotte the engine broke down and I was detained for days. Sending off by the passing trains as many officers (Federal) as would get on the trains, on the fourth day I arrived with the last who were in my charge at Goldsborough. I there found Major Griswold in command in I delivered the prisoners to him, and remained with him, subject to his order, until all were sent forward.

There were no reports made from the prison at Columbia, morning or otherwise, during the time I served as commandant of the interior of prison, and Major Griswold usually came to the prison about 10 o'clock in the forenoon and remained about the hours, and but seldom in the afternoon.

THOS. R. STEWART,

Captain Company G, Second Maryland Infantry.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., March 29, 1865.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

Commanding U. S. Armies, City Point, Va.:

Mr. Ould thinks he has 10,000 prisoners to deliver at Mobile and 2,000 in Richmond and North Carolina. Since the 25th of November, 1864, when the last declaration of exchange was made, we have delivered of all grades 4,000 more prisoners than we have received. I respectfully suggest that no more be delivered until the balance is made up.

W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WASHINGTON, March 29, 1865.

General HOFFMAN:

SIR: I have through since I talked with that inasmuch as the Secretary of War has placed the subject of exchanges under the control of Lieutenant-General Grant it would be more proper to request an inspection of the state of exchanges at Fort Monroe by some officer designated by General Grant. I request you to make a memorandum of the points to which attention should be called, and, connecting it with this note, send the papers to General Grant, who will, if he thinks it necessary, designate some paper staff or other officer to obtain and report the information required.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers.