Summary
June 22, 1864: Elmira was declared "prepared to receive prisoners of war." The camp had grown large enough for over 1,000 prisoners.
June 30, 1864: The order to send the first transfer of prisoners. 2,000 men were sent from Point Lookout, Maryland to Elmira, NY.
June 30, 1864: The inspection of General L. Thomas stated that the camp was in very good condition.

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OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Washington, D.C., June 22, 1864
Lieut. Col. S. Eastman,

Commanding Draft Rendezvous, Elmira, N.Y.

COLONEL: By direction of the Secretary of War the barracks (No. 3) at Elmira will be prepared to receive prisoners of war according to the instructions contained in my letter at the 19th ultimo. In establishing the fence it is advisable, if practicable, to enclose ground enough to accommodate in barracks and tents 10,000 prisoners. Please report in detail what will be necessary to put the place in condition for this service, including tents for the guard, tents for prisoners, kitchens for prisoners, which should be fitted up with Farmer's boilers, of from 30 to 120 gallons, according to convenience, etc., giving, as far as practicable, the cost.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. HOFFMAN,
Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners

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OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Washington, D.C., June 30, 1864
Col. A.G. Draper,
Commanding District of Saint Mary's, Point Lookout, Md.: COLONEL: By authority of the Secretary of War, you will forward from Point Lookout to Elmira, N.Y., via New York City, 2,000 enlisted prisoners, to be delivered to Col. S. Eastman, commanding Draft Rendezvous Barracks. The prisoners will be divided into parties of about 400, each party to be accompanied by a guard of 100 men, under a proper complement of officers. Give the officers in charge detailed instructions, as directed in my letter of the 21st instant. Cooked rations will be furnished for two days to guard and prisoners. Arrangements will be made for cooking on the steamer as far as practicable. Notify the quartermaster in New York, Maj. S. Van Vliet, by telegram of the day when the steamer will leave, and ask for transportation. The guard will return to Point Lookout on Harrisburg and Baltimore Road. The depot quartermaster in this city will furnish transports at intervals of two or three days.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. HOFFMAN,
Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners

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HEADQUARTERS DRAFT RENDEZVOUS, Elmira, N.Y., June 30, 1864
Brig. Gen. L. Thomas,

Adjutant-General U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report this post in a very good condition. Barracks and grounds are in excellent police. Subsistence good. Barracks No. 3 has been set aside for the accommodation of prisoners of war, and is enclosed by a fence twelve feet high, with sentry boxes on the outside, the platform being four feet below the top of the fence. These barracks are now ready to receive prisoners. On their arrival the recruits and drafted men will occupy Barracks No. 1. It will be necessary to keep in the guardhouse at No. 3 barracks, until another can be built at Barracks No. 1, all prisoners sent here as deserters. I respectfully request that I may have authority to erect a guard house at Barracks No. 1 with as little delay as possible. There being no quarters inside the enclosure of Barracks No. 3, the officers having charge of the prisoners will go into tents, and I have directed the quartermaster to issue wall-tents to them, which I respectfully ask the Adjutant-General to approve. There are but twelve officers here that I can assign to duty with prisoners, and as there will be about fifty companies of 200 men each it will be necessary to have more officers on duty at this post. There should be one officer to every company, if possible, and officers who are unfit for field service can perform this duty as well as able-bodied ones.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. EASTMAN
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Commanding Rendezvous