prisoners of war to report who should in their opinion be longer held and upon what charges, and who should be released from confinement unconditionally or upon oath and bond.

The board will report from time as the cases are disposed of and make such recommendations as they deem the public welfare requires. As the labors of the board may be somewhat protected the officers selected by you should be those who are stationed at this post and who can perform this duty with the least inconvenience to the service.

By order of Major-General Curtis:

JNO W. NOBLE,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, October 30, 1862.

Colonel WILLIAM H. MCCOWAN,

Gratiot Street Prison, Saint Louis, Mo.

SIR: In reply to your communication* of the 28th instant I am instructed by the major-general to say that he has information that you are the same Confederate officer who on a former occasion effected your escape from our prison by resorting to the unchivalric system of blacking your hands and face. Information has also been received by the general commanding that General Holmes, of your service, has placed in close confinement all his prisoners captured by him. However this may be this Government never resorting to retaliatory measures will only go so far in your case as to prevent a recurrence of your escape from your present confinement.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. P. CHIPMAN,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,

Washington, D. C., October 30, 1862.

Colonel JESSE HILDEBRAND,

Commanding Military Prison, Alton, Ill.

COLONEL: Your letter of the 21st instant is received. * * * Governor Yates has no authority to make any appointment at the military prison at Alton. In the future you will release prisoners who have been sent up from Saint Louis while their cases are being examined on the requisition of Colonel Gantt, provost-marshal-general at Saint Louis. Send to the depot at Sandusky 250 to 300 prisoners; select political prisoners or bushwhackers whose cases have been acted upon, including those under sentence unless they are to be kept in close confinement, and those whose cases are to be investigated.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. HOFFMAN,

Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.

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*Not found.

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