OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Detroit, Mich, September 20, 1862.

Colonel C. W. B. ALLISON,

Commanding Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio.

COLONEL: In reply to your telegram of yesterday I have to say that you were not authorized to pay rewards for the apprehension of escaped prisoners out of the fund in your charge nor do I deem it proper to pay rewards at all. Such a course would be little short of an encouragement to the guard to neglect their duty for the purpose of gaining a reward for the apprehension of prisoners who had escaped through their neglect or perhaps connivance. If prisoners escape from Camp Chase if can only be through gross carelessness on the part of those who have charge of them and some officer or soldier of the guard should be held accountable for the escape. Instead of offering a reward you should detail a number of small parties of twenty men, not over three together, furnished with three or four days' rations and send them in pursuant. The necessary expenses of the pursuit and apprehension to a small amount might be paid out of the prisoners' fund. Prisoners who escape are not likely to take the railroad. If they do you can catch them, and if they do not they must be skulking in the neighborhood and your men don't want transportation to find them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFAMN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissar-General of Prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Detroit, Mich., September 20, 1862.

Major W. S. PIERSON,

Commanding Depot of Prisoners of War, Sandusky, Ohio.

MAJOR: In reply to your letter of the 18th in relation to claims of prisoners to be exchanged, &c., I have to say that such claims depend upon the description they bear on the rolls, and unless they are there entered as belonging to the Confederate Army any representations they may make will have no influence in any way. When I am instructed what disposition to make of such cases they will be informed of it. The oath of allegiance will be administered only to prisoners who belong to the Confederate Army, and so you have no such prisoners at the depot there are none to be released in that way. If there are political prisoners confined without cause, and this can be shown by the testimony of reliable Union men, I will refer such cases to the War Department. Their own statement of their innocence will not be sufficient. Let those things be understood among them and you will be relieved from many useless applications.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

COLUMBUS, OHIO, September 22, 1862.

E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

Many of the paroled Union prisoners at Camp Chase have not been paid for a year. It will be impossible for General Wallace to bring

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