that the truce is declared at an end, you may recommence hostilities, in accordance with a letter of instructions delivered to you when you retook command of the district. Those instructions were to fire only occasionally, as the war Department wishes to economize ammunition as much as possible.

W. L. M. BURGER,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., December 15, 1864.

Colonel P. P. BROWN, Jr.,

Fort Pulaski, GA.:

COLONEL: Escaped Union prisoners just arrived from Columbia, S. C., report the following as the ration issued to our prisoners by the rebel authorities: Six (one pint) cups unbolted corn-meal every five days, one-half pint molasses per day, one=half pint rice occasionally for five days three tablespoonfuls salt every five days, and no meat or grease whatever. You are, therefore, directed by the major-General commanding to furnish the prisoners now in your custody with rations in accordance with the above, giving them half a pound of bread in lieu of the rice, and issuing to them no meat or grease. You will acknowledge the receipt of this letter immediately upon its being received.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. L. BURGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Same letter, excepting the last sentence, sent to Captain Joseph T. SPratt, provost-marshal, Hilton Head District. _)

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, s. C., December 15, 1864.

Colonel P. P. BROWN, Jr.,

Fort Pulaski, GA.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 12th instant in answer to the letter of censure sent you by direction of the major-General commanding. You state that the instructions mentioned in the letter failed to reach you, and request a copy to be sent that you may know in what particular you have erred. It is perfectly well understood by every officer in this department that these prisoners were sent here for the purpose of retaliation, to be treated in precisely the same manner that our prisoners are treated that are in the hands of the enemy, and for no other reasons whatever. Full instructions were sent you on the 4th ultimo for the care and management of these prisoners, and a corrected copy of your General Order, Numbers 11, which you were directed to issue and strictly enforce in place of the one you published. this letter alone contained sufficient instructions for your guidance in their management, and was thought to cover all the points. Duplicate copies of the letter and order are herewith inclosed. Instructions have been sent to you repeatedly, through the commanding officer of the district, in regard to the ration to be issued, &c. The letter was sent you, not only