OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Detroit, Mich., July 15, 1862.

General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

GENERAL: Frequent inquiries are made by prisoners of war and their friends whether in case of a general exchange all will be compelled to accept of the exchange and go South whether they wish to do so or not. There are many among them who live in Southern States who wish to be released on parole so that they may not again be forced into the ranks. Others wish to remain at the North and enter our service. Can these be singled out and released on taking the oath of allegiance?

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Detroit, Mich., July 15, 1862.

General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

GENERAL: Rolls of prisoners of war have been called for by the War Department and from your office. I presume that one set is all that will be required and will furnish them with as little delay as possible. There has been much remissness in furnishing rolls with prisoners taken and in preserving them, and it will scarcely be possible to make out reliable rolls from the meager papers at the prison camp. At Camp Douglas it appears that a number of the prisoners enlisted in Colonel Mulligan's regiment, the Twenty-third Illinois, and Colonel Cameron's regiment, the Sixty-fifth Illinois. When the rolls are completed I will be able to give the particulars.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Detroit, Mich., July 15, 1862.

Colonel J. H. TUCKER, Commanding Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill.

COLONEL: Your several letters of the 10th, 12th and 13th have been received. Your action in the case of Chaplain Warren is approved. The parole of T. C. Depeyster will be revoked. Don't permit the newspaper articles to give you any concern. If you think it worth while you may state that the occurrence which gave rise to the declaration of martial law took place while Colonel Mulligan was in command; that the authority was asked for at that time and that the declaration would have made if he had remained there.

The rebel letter must have been smuggled out of the camp, as both the matter and length of it are in violation of the rules of prisoners' correspondence, if it was written by a prisoner, which I doubt very much. Possibly and probably it was made up by the excluded reporter, but I doubt if the publication of it can be made a political offense.

The commanding officer is the proper person to decide what are loyal papers. Newspapers cannot be received by prisoners by mail without