706 Series II Volume VIII- Serial 121 - Prisoners of War
Page 706 | PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE, |
WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, July 14, 1865.
Major-General MILES, Commanding, Fort Monroe:
Recent information from Canada, indicates that there is some plot going on for an effort-by surprise, stratagem, or other means-to liberate Davis and Clay. The Government has implicit reliance on your vigilance, but it is due to you to be apprised of what the enemy designs.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,
Washington, D. C., July 15, 1865.
Brigadier General J. HOLT, Judge-Advocate-General, Washington, D. C.:
GENERAL: By direction of the lieutenant-general commanding the Army, I have the honor to inclose herewith a list of two prisoners in confinement at Johnson's Island-Charles H. Cole and John E. Robinson-with documents showing what evidence is against them,* and your opinion is respectfully requested as to the disposition that shall be made of these men.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. HOFFMAN,
Bvt. Brigadier General, U. S. Army, Commissary-General of Prisoners.
RICHMOND, VA., July 15, 1865.
Lieutenant-General ORDWAY,
Provost-Marshal-General, Department of Virginia:
The undersigned, appointed a board in accordance with Special Orders, Numbers 25, headquarters Department of Virginia, Office of Provost-Marshal-General, of June 3, 1865, respectfully submit the following final report of our investigation into the case of Judge Ould, Major Carrington, Captain Hatch, and Captain C. Morfit, late officers in the C. S. Army.
We find that all money was taken from Federal prisoners on their being committed to Libby Prison by order of Major Thomas P. Turner, C. S. Army, and turned over by him to Captain C. Morfit, assistant quarter-master, C. S. Army, together with invoices of the same, giving the name of each person to whom said money belonged. This money was regularly credited to the proper owners upon the books of Captain Morfit, the names being numerically arranged. From the funds which they had deposited prisoners were generally allowed $100 per month in Confederate money. The rate which they were allowed was generally $7 Confederate for one U. S. Treasury note, this rate being fixed by the Confederate Secretary of War. During a part of the year 1864, however, they were merely allowed dollar for dollar. Captain Morfit's books show the rate allowed in each individual transaction. When prisoners were exchanged the balance due to them was generally paid them in kind, and their receipts taken by Captain Morfit, although there were rare instances in which they were compelled to take Confederate money instead of U. S. Treasury notes which they had thus deposited. By an order of the Confederate Secretary of War all sums
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* See Hill to Hitchcock, October 1, 1864, Vol. VII, this series, p. 901.
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Page 706 | PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE, |