About 1,100 are sick, 400 of whom have gone to Benton Barracks, and the remainder will be sent there as soon as the hospital steamers are ready to take them. The rest of the prisoners are in excellent health, the Cahaba prisoners particularly. Nearly all the sick are from Andersonville. Under Colonel Ould's order, Colonel Watts, the rebel agent, is getting ready to turn over allthe men to su, when they will be sent North as rapidly as possible. He, however, still asks for Forrest's and other Southwestern rebel soldiers to be exchanged here.

Very respectfully,

N. J. T. DANA,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, April 15, 1865--4.40 a. m.

U. S. MARSHAL, Portland, Me.:

Arrest Jacob Thompson and his companion, whose name is believed to be Blankman, and who are either in Portland or on the way to Portland from Montreal en route to Europe.

By order of the Secretary of War:

C. A. DANA,

Assistant Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, April 15, 1865.

PROVOST-MARSHAL, Portland, Me.:

Do not fail to catch Thompson and Tucker if they come across the line.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS POST,
Newport News, Va., April 15, 1865.

Doctor CRAVEN, Medical Director, Fort Monroe, Va.:

SIR: I have the honor to recommend that the hospital for prisoners confined at Newport News, Va., be transferred from Craney Island to the prison inclosure at this point. The establishment of hospitals at the island causes confusion in the reports and endless trouble and expense in transferring prisoners and providing for their comfort. There is ample room in the inclosure now being erected for 10,000 prisoners and hospitals for all the percentage of sick out of this number. I think hospital tents would be all that we would require here through the summer, and if the camp becomes permanent, buildings suitable can be erected by the prisoners themselves. The force for guarding these prisoners is so small that I fear many will escape from Craney Island, if that continues to be used for hospital purposes. The commissary and quartermaster of this post are expected to supply all the wants of the force on the island, and hence a boat will have to ply regularly between here and there. I think the establishment of hospital accommodations within the inclosure will be preferable for the following reasons: First, it will be much more secure; second, one guard will be sufficient; third, it will be much less expensive to Government.