From National Archives and Records Administration film 598-13 "Selected Records of the War Department Relating to Confederate Prisoners of War, Alton, Il. Military Prison, Letters Sent and Received 1862-1865" April 10th 1863 Maj. T. Hendrickson, Alton Mil. Prison to Capt. Dwight Ass't. Provost Martshal General, St. Louis: "In reply to your inquiry yesterday as to what manner hard labor is imposed at Alton, I have to state that hard labor is not imposed in any manner upon the prisoners in this prison and for this reason,, there is no kind of labor other than the ordinary police of the place, which is by no means, hard labor, at which they can be employed. It seems to me therefore to be a trouble and expense besides defeating the ends of justice to send to this place convicts thus sentenced with this expectation that a sentence of hard labor can be properly carried into effect. We have no means to do so, consequently these rogues invariably escape their deserts."