[APRIL 17, 1865.--For Halleck to Thomas and Canby, authorizing them to give same terms to Confederate forces in the West and South as those given by Grant to Lee, see Series I, Vol. XLIX, Part II, pp. 376, 383.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., April 17, 1865.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Military Division of West Mississippi, New Orleans, La.:

GENERAL: The letter of Colonel Dwight, agent for exchange, Military Division of West Mississippi, in reference to forwarding prisoners of Marmaduke's and Cabell's commands for exchange, was received on the 27th ultimo, and I have the honor to inform you that orders have been given to commanders of prison camps in the West to forward to New Orleans all prisoners of war still in confinement who belong to the commands above referred to. Many of them have doubtless already been delivered for exchange at Varina, Va.

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

W. HOFFMAN,

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

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., April 18, 1865.

Honorable SAMUEL GALLOWAY,

Special Commissioner, Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, replying to mine of the 29th ultimo, in reference to the application of Lewis H. Baker, private, Company C, Gilmor's Battalion Virginia [Maryland] Cavalry, a prisoner of war, for discharge. The note upon which the action of the War Department was founded is in the following terms, viz:

FEBRUARY 9, 1865.

I have examined your brother's case and recommended his release to the Secretary of War. To facilitate it you should employ some influential friend of the Government in Washington City to represent the case, as the business is so thorough and governed by strict rules that it takes personal application to succeed. My report is Numbers 1898, which may be seen at L. C. Turner's office, judge-advocate, War Department.

Respectfully,

SAM. GALLOWAY,

Special Commissioner.

This note was referred to this office by Major Turner, judge-advocate, with the following indorsement:

MARCH 21, 1865.

The report of Mr. Galloway, special commissioner, was referred to General Hoffman, Commissary-General of Prisoners, February 15, 1865, for favorable consideration.

L. C. TURNER,

Judge-Advocate.

The note came to this office without an address, but from your report (Numbers 1898) it appears to relate to the case of Lewis H. Baker, and with that report was laid before the War Department, whose action thereon