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Executive Department
Montgomery, Ala, Dec^r 19^th 1861
Hon J. P. Benjamin,
Sec^y of War
Richmond,
Better send no more prisoners to Tuscaloosa -
accommodations exhausted - Lunatic asylum will not be leased -
- To seize it would disorganize the Institution, and
arouse the just indignation of a loyal and Christian people
(Dispatch) John Gill Shorter
Governor
of Alabama.

Executive Department
Montgomery, Ala, Dec^r 21^st 1861
Hon. J. P. Benjamin,
Sec^y of War;
Sir,
I have the Honour to receive your letter of the
17^th Inst - in relation to Mr L. M. Rowley - a citizen of
Florida - Said be in prison here - with request to have his
case examined, &c - and the same shall have immediate
attention.
With high regard, I am
Respectfully Yours,
(Signed) John Gill Shorter.

Executive Department
Montgomery, Ala, Dec^r 21^st /61
Hon. J. P. Benjamin, [check]
Secretary of War
Sir,
I have your dispatch of yesterday - in which you say;
"I shall send no more Prisoners to Tuscaloosa - never tho't
of Seizing Asylum."

In explanation of my Dispatch of the 19^th I beg to say
that on that day, I received a letter from D^r P. Bryce, Medical
Superintendant of the Insane Hospital at Tuscaloosa,
dated the 16^th inst. in which he wrote among other things,
the following sentence: "Dr Searcy - the President of our
Board of Trustees, told me this morning, that the officer,
commanding the Guard, stated to him that he had received
a dispatch - authorizing him to seize any - & every available
house for the purposes of the Prisoners, and if necessary,
occupy the Insane Hospital." I did not believe that such
a dispatch had been issued, by your direction; but I could
not doubt the verity of the statement made to me - or
that such a dispatch had been received by your officer,
who affirmed that he had received it.I am pleased to know that no other prisoners are to be
forwarded to Tuscaloosa. It cannot accommodate more than
are already there. With High regards, I am,
Respectfully - Yours
(Signed) John Gill Shorter -