If any part of the ration can be witheld without harm let it be done, and with the proceeds of the sale to the contractor purchase furnisture and other articles for the prisoners. Have strict orders given then that under no circumstances will any public property be used by officers or soldiers without proper authority. Lumber, wood, $c., must only be used under the direction of the quartermaster. All visitors must be excluded from the camp, and under no circumstances will paroles be granted to prisoners to leave camp. Please refer to me at Detroit any requisitions requiring my action.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Lieutenant Colonel Eighth Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, May 8, 1862.

Brigadier General O. M. MITCHELL, Huntsville, Ala.:

Secretary of War absent for some days. You are authorized to send the two or three notorious rebels mentioned to Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, if in your judgment the public safety requires it. Influential gentleman like General Clemens can render far more service at home at present than they could by coming here.

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

MONTEREY, TENN., May 8, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

Pope has just received letter from Beauregard in reply to flag of truce of yesterday. He is willing to make general exchange of priosners but no in special cases. In his letter he politely informs Pope that he captured 268 officers and privates of Mitchel's division at Pulaski, Tenn., a few days ago.

T. A. SCOTT,

Assistant Secretary of War.

FORT HAMILTON, New York Harbor, May 8, 1862.

Brigadier General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army.

GENERAL: Having been in confinement awaiting charges a quarter of a year I respectfully request that if it is deemed compatible with the interests of the public service my limits may be extended during the remainder of my arrest to include the city of New York or the boundaries of this island.

Very respectfully, I am, general, your most obedient servant,

CHAS. P. STONE,

Brigadier-General.

HDQRS. U. S. FORCES, NORTH. DIST. DEPT. OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., May 8, 1862.

To the Commanding OFFICER OF THE FORCES AT SAVANNAH, GA.

SIR: Upon the surrender of Fort Pulaski to our troops upon the 11th ultimo it was arranged that certain sick and wounded men of your garrison amounting with the hospital steward in charge of the same to about twenty persons should be returned to Savannah under a flag of truce, which arrangement was approved by Major-General Hunter,