Today in History:

469 Series II Volume VIII- Serial 121 - Prisoners of War

Page 469 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--UNION AND CONFEDERATE.

merely remark that more than one year since, after presenting reports without any recommendation, I was specially instructed by the judge-advocate not to submit any report without the conclusion of my judgment, until otherwise ordered by the Secretary of War. I shall, whilst maintaining this position, respectfully follow the suggestions of your letter. It will not be expected by the President or Secretary of War, or any other person knowing my professional advantages and position, that I can serve in the capacity of a mere reporter of the facts and conditions of prisoners. My pretensions, although not very exalted, range beyond so limited a sphere. Any justice of the peace can as well discharge such duties as myself. With this instruction my mission will soon end. But for my promise to the President and a conversation with the Provost-Marshal-General since the receipt of your letter I would now forward an absolute resignation. I will be gratified at the arrival of the hour when I can, consistently with my feelings of humanity and patriotism and my sense of justice, retire from a position which has for me no attractions of pleasure, profit, or distinction. I will acquaint the judge-advocate (Major Turner) immediately of my views and purposes in the matter. As my official intercourse has been specially with this branch of the War Department, it is alike courteous and proper that I should do so.

Respectfully, yours,

SAML. GALLOWAY.

N. B.--In connection with the mention of the Governor of West Virginia I ought to have stated that I have been authorized to examine cases from West Virginia at his request.

S. G.

FORT MONROE, VA., April 5, 1865.

Major G. BLAGDEN,

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

Depot for 8,000 prisoners will be established on Craney Island near Norfolk.* Send blanks and instructions to commanding officer, care of Major W. L. James, chief quartermaster, immediately.

W. HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., April 5, 1865.

Captain JOSEPH McC. BELL,

Asst. Adjt. General, Mil. Div. of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following extract from report of Brigadier General Clinton B. Fisk, commanding District of North Missouri, for the information of the major-general commanding the Military Division of the Missouri:

I have made a personal inspection of all the prisons in the district, examined each case myself, and turned over to the civil authorities every case not strictly military. At Saint Joseph I literally turned the prisons into the grand jury room, with a portion of the bar of Saint Joseph with them. Over three hundred indictments were found at Saint Joseph during the term just ended.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General, Commanding Department.

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*Was not established. See Hoffman to Grant, April 8, and Grant's reply, April 9, pp. 477, 480.

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Page 469 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--UNION AND CONFEDERATE.