Alton such prisoners as have been sent from here who have not been committed for the war until finally disposed of by me? In the future I will endeavor not to send any to Alton excepting those to be imprisoned for the war or a long term, but there are some prisoners now in Alton sent from here whose cases have not been finally acted upon. Have you any prisoners of war which you intend soon sending to Cairo to be forwarded to Vicksburg for exchange? I will send about fourteen from here in a few days, and if you send can it not be arranged to send them under the same guard from here? Please inform me if letters to prisoners are thoroughly examined before passing into their hands.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

F. A. DICK,

Lieutenant Colonel and Provost-Marshal-General Dept. of the Missouri.

ALTON, ILL., November 20, 1862.

Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,

Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.

COLONEL: On Sunday night the prisoners set fire to the military prison, but the building was but very slightly damaged. During the night, which was exceptionally dark, four prisoners escaped. They procured a wooden ladder and reached the top of the wall and lowered themselves by means of a rope ladder made of bedding. Culpable neglect is shown by allowing a ladder to remain in the prison; want of vigilance in the sentinels in allowing the prisoners to lower themselves down within a few feet of the post. If they could not have seen they should have heard them. General neglect is shown by the authorities not being able to ascertain the names and number of prisoners who escaped until several hours after their escape was known. I inclose herewith a scrap from the Alton Telegraph relating to their escape.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. FREEDLEY,

Captain, Third Infantry.

[Inclosure.]

ALTON MILITARY PRISON.

To-day J. B. Paxton was paroled from the military prison and ordered to report to Colonel J. G. Lane, at Wellsville, Mo.

Last night about 11 o'clock the room north of the prison hospital was discovered to be on fire. The room was used only to hold straw and must have been set on fire, as there was no fire used in it. The Alton fire engine was promptly on the ground and extinguished the flames before much damage was done. This morning about 6 o'clock this same room was discovered to be on fire, but the flames were immediately stopped. Some time during the night several prisoners (it is not known how many) made their escape from the prison by the use of a ladder and bed clothes torn into strips and made into a rope. They passed over the south wall just west of the big-gate entrance by ascending the ladder and letting themselves down by the clothes rope by tying a stone to one end, throwing it over the walls, thus making an easy and quick means of escape. There are stationed here not less than 1,300 U. S. troops as guards and there are but 522 prisoners in the prison. We presume, indeed the know, that the officers attached to