office. The oath will not be administered till further orders. Any side-arms belonging to prisoners at Fort Donelson, not pistols, will be returned to them at the point where the exchange is made. Duplicate rolls will be required of all to be exchanged whether present or on parole.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Detroit, Mich., August 9, 1862.

General C. P. BUCKINGHAM,

Asst. Adjt. General, War Department, Washington, D. C.

GENERAL: I inclose two cases* from provost-marshal in Kentucky for the action of the War Department. They require immediate action, and it seems to me that to meet such cases some discretion should be placed in my hands. Within the past three or four days I have referred several petitions to be laid before the War Department through you in order to hasten a decision, but as it is irregular I will do so no more unless I have instructions to continue it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, August 9, 1862.

L. C. BAKER, Provost-Marshal, War Department:

You will arrest, convey to and detain in the Old Capitol Prison, in Washington, D. C., the following-named persons residing in Fredericksburg, Va., viz: G. H. C. Rowe, Montgomery Slaughter, John J. Berry, Michael Ames, Edwin Carter, J. H. Roberts, John F. Scott, William H. Norton, W. Roy Mason, John Coakley, Benjamin Temple, Abraham Cox, James Cooke and Lewis Wreen, and it is ordered that said persons be detained until otherwise instructed in custody as hostages for the safety of the following-named prisoners of war, citizens of the United States, who have been arrested and now imprisoned in Richmond, Va., viz: Major Charles Williams, Peter Couse, Squire Ralston, Burnham Wardwell, A. M. Pickett, Thomas Morrison and Moses Morrison.

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. C. TURNER,

Judge-Advocate.

COLUMBUS, OHIO, August 9, 1862.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN, Commanding-General of Prisoners.

COLONEL: I have the honor to inclose a list of all articles purchased for the use of the prisons since I assumed the charge of them here. None of these articles have been paid for and I did not consequently require this list to come from the commanding officer this month (for

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*Not found.

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