GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DIST. SOUTHEAST MISSOURI, Numbers 22.
Cairo, December 23, 1861.

In pursuance of Special Orders, Numbers 78, from headquarters Department of the Missouri, the name of this military district will be known as the District of Cairo, and will include all the southern part of Illinois, that part of Kentucky west of the Cumberland River, and the southern counties of Missouri south of Cape Girardeau.

The force at Shawneetown will be under the immediate command of Colonel T. H. Cavanaugh, Six Illinois Cavalry, who will consolidate the reports of his command weekly and forward to these headquarters.

All troops threat are or may be stationed along the bank of the Ohio, on both sides of the river, east of Caledonia and to the month of the Cumberland, will be included in the command, having headquarters at Paducah, Ky.

Brigadier General E. A. Paine is assigned to the command of the forces at Bird's Point, Mo.

* * * * * * * *

For the information of that portion of this command newly attache the following list of staff officers is published:

Captain John A. Rawlins, assistant adjutant-general.

Captain William S. Hillyer, aide-camp.

Major John Riggin, jr., volunteer aide-de-camp.

Captain R. B. Hatch, assistant quartermaster, U. S. Volunteers, chief quartermaster.

Captain W. W. Leland, commissary subsistence U. S. Volunteers, chief commissary.

Captain W. F. Brinck, ordnance officer.

Surg. James Simons, U. S. Army, medical director.

Asst. Surg. J. F. Taggart, U. S. Army, medical purveyor.

Major I. N. Cooke, paymaster.

Colonel J. D. Webster, chief of staff and chief of engineers.

By order of U. S. Grant, brigadier-general commanding:

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

LOUISVILLE, December 24, 1861-8 p. m.

General BUELL,

Lebanon and Lebanon Junction:

Nothing reported from Munfordville. McCook this afternoon reported the enemy as having retired beyond Cave City. Enemy's pickets at Bell's, 5 miles below Cave City, and that they were obstructing the turnpike. Also that Floyd, with his brigade, had arrived at Bowling Green. McCook asked authority to work on railroad bridge over Green River.

JAMES B. FRY.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Louisville, Ky., December 25, 1861.

Honorable R. C. WICKLIFFE,

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.:

DEAR SIR: I have received your letter of the 19the instant, inclosing the copy of a bill now pending in the Senate for raising 20,000 twelve months volunteers in Kentucky for the defense of the State. You have