instructions herewith sent. These officers will after reaching the field of their operations make weekly reports to the headquarters of exchanged prisoners of their progress. On the arrival of squads of absentees or recruits it will be your simple duty to forward the same to the headquarters of their respective commands, subject of course to such orders as may be issued from department headquarters after this date.

Your duties connected with prisoners sent to this place other than those referred to above will be divided into the two classes of Federal and Confederate prisoners:

1. As to Federal prisoners: All such on arriving here are usually accompanied by a descriptive roll. When such is not the case you must prepare one. You will receipt for all such prisoners and forward said prisoners with a copy of descriptive roll to Major N. G. Watts, C. S. commissioner of exchanged prisoners at Vicksburg, who will be required to return a receipt for the same. Federal prisoners on arriving here are to be confined in the guard-house, with orders not to be allowed to hold communication with any citizen or soldier. Officers are supplied at the guard-house with meals from the hotel (unless the lieutenant-general commanding directs otherwise) at the expense of the C. S. rations, and cooking utensils are furnished non-commissioned officers and privates.

2. As to Confederate prisoners sent here: They should be accompanied by a descriptive roll also, and a copy of this must be sent to Major Watts, at Vicksburg, for register at the office, who will return notice of the same. The prisoners are placed in the camp of exchanged prisoners near the Fair Grounds at this place, now under command of Colonel Bartlett. Their wants are supplied by the usual requisitions upon the quartermaster's and commissary departments at Jackson. You will inform the Secretary of War from time to time through the Adjutant and Inspector-General at Richmond of the number and rank of the prisoners on hand, who will give the necessary orders for completing the exchange. Duplicate copies of all such communications are sent to R. Ould, chief commissioner of exchanged prisoners, at Richmond. Brief telegrams afford the quickest means of communication with all parties and are authorized.

In all cases requiring a discharge you proceed as usual in other cases, care being taken to have the papers reach you through the several channel pointed out by Army Regulations.

Furloughs except in extreme cases are positively prohibited. By reference to paper B you will understand that all prisoners exchanged, the headquarters of whose commands are not in this department (Mississippi and East Louisiana), are to be sent without further instructions to their regimental, battalion or company headquarters, with an order to report. Whenever it is practicable these men should be sent in detachments under the charge of some trustworthy officers, care being taken to have them supplied with cooked rations for at least three days when the journey is likely to require a greater length of time.

I have requested that all matters appertaining to pay, quartermaster's and commissary departments be, by order of Lieutenant-General Pemberton, referred to the officers of these departments at this post. All cases intended or suitable for hospital should be managed through the post surgeon, Cabaniss. All prisoners registered at Vicksburg prior to 7th of October, 1862, have been by proclamation exchanged. All requisitions are to be signed by you and sent up to Lieutenant-General Pemberton. All cases pending for leave of absence are to be refused.