ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE,

Chicago, August 2, 1862.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Detroit, Mich.

COLONEL: The requisitions of Major Finda for clothing for the prisoners at Camp Butler I have not been able to fill except partially, and that by ordering the assistant quartermaster at Springfield to issue such informal clothing as he happened to have. I now need for issue here at Camp Douglas 3,000 coats, 3,000 pants, 3,000 shirts, 3,000 hats and 3,000 pairs of shoes. As I am not allowed to issue regulation supplies will you allow me to purchase or will you make requisition on the proper officer for the necessary supplies? They are very much needed now.

Yours, respectfully,

J. A. POTTER,

Assistant Quartermaster, U. S. Army.

FORT MONROE, July [August] 2, 1862.

Adjutant-General THOMAS.

GENERAL: I went to Savage Station, near Richmond, on the 24th of June, having under my direction a party of volunteer nurses and some medical and hospital stores sent by the citizens of Pittsburg to be distributed among the sick and wounded soldiers whose sufferings we desired to alleviate. Our labors began as soon as we arrived and when the army retreated the number of wounded men needing aid was so largely increased and the supply of attendants so inadequate I decided to remain with them, although certain to become with them prisoners. Eleven of my party made the same choice. The Confederates took possession of the hospital Monday, 30th [June]. On that morning I addresses a note to General Magruger [inclosed] reporting our names and status and asking that he would if possible arrange so that we could return home when the wounded no longer seemed to require our service, or at least that we should be considered as surgeons. General Magruger returned the note with an indorsement that Mr. Brunot and his party were to be treated as surgeons, subject, however, to the restriction that they should not leave the lines without a pass from General Lee. We were suffered to continue at Savage Station until the 8th of July and on that day taken to Richmond as the prisoners of General Winder, the provost-marshal. A few days after we were placed in the Libby Hospital Prison I was sent for by the authorities and offered a parole on the conditions of the orders* of the Confederate Secretary of War, a copy of which accompanies this.

Secretary Stanton, in view of the fact that we were persons engaged in acts of humanity as were the surgeons and especially that we were no part of the army organization nor in Government employ, &c., holds the opinion that we should not be detained or any exchange demanded, and that the Confederate Government will recognize the correctness of his position and free us at once. He therefore declined to consider the case of the parties asked to be released for us.

In the meantime my parole expires on Monday, the 4th instant. I respectfully ask you to furnish me such facilities of transportation as

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* Not found.

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