prisoner at Island Numbers 10, and supposed to be at Columbus, Ohio, or at Boston, all of which I stated to you on my arrival at your headquarters. You immediately wrote on the subject, as I supposed from the inquiries made at the time. If it becomes necessary for me to go to Washington to effect the exchange I will do so by your permission.

You will please in that event to send me a pass. My honor is at stake on this subject to surrender myself a prisoner or procure the exchange. I hope you will write me at Memphis soon, as I will remain there and wait your answer.

Your obedient servant,

P. KINNEY,

Colonel, Commanding Fifty-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Militia.

GENERAL HOSPITAL, Savaga Station, Va., July 24, 1862.

General WINDER.

SIR: I address you at this time on behalf of the sick and wounded soldiers now in confinement in your city and at this place.

I had supposed from assurances received from the medical director and purveyor of the Confederate Army that we should not be retained any time within your lines, and hence we remained quiet and have so continued until forbearance has ceased to be a virtue.

When I send a surgeon to look after the interests of the sick and wounded you place him in a lock-up, where he can do no good and can only see patients under guard; only two of these surgeons have returned to report, and theirs is a sad one.

I send you a copy of my instructions from General McClellan and then ask you-

1. If I can visit the place where the sick and wounded are imprisoned and again return to this place without any obstructions or delay?

2. Are we at liberty to return to our lines in accordance with these instructions, of course under proper regulations which you shall specify and arrange?

3. Can I send or take some of our surgeons who are ill to our transports that they can recuperate? If they stay here they are sure to die. Yesterday we paid the last sad tribute to a departed surgeon of our mess; others will soon go unless relieved.

4. Can we have rations suitable for the sick and wounded? I am sure you do not know the limited and in some instances the absolute bad character of the food furnished for us all. Up to three days since the only rations furnished us was flour and bacon. Yesterday we had rations sent for three days, consisting of good flour, while bacon and shoulders were absolutely filled with maggots. Now if you judge this the kind of food furnished your sick and wounded prisoners North, or is in accordance with the usages of war among civilized nations, you are mistaken. I have had to buy fresh meats for soups and bread to supply the deficiency, since we have no means of cooking flour suitable for the sick. Now I submit that flour and poor bacon alone are entirely unfit for the sick and wounded, since many have died from sheer exhaustion or starvation, and many more will die unless more carefully fed. Many of those taken to Richmond and retained so long in the depot without proper attention have also died. Now, sir, all I ask is to have the sick and wounded who have become the recipients of my care receive the attention due them as prisoners of war agreeably