to division commanders for ten days from these headquarters, and under no circumstances will any other be used. When detachments are made from either of these divisions, the division commander will furnish the parol and countersign to the commanding officer if the detachment is to be absent more than twenty-four hours.

The general commanding takes occasion to notify the army under his command that they are marching to meet the enemy within a few days, and he exhorts them, by all their hopes of distinction and success, to be prompt and attention to their duties and careful to comply exactly and cheerfully with every detail of service and with every order for this movement.

This order, immediately or its receipt the division commanders, will be published to their commands.

By order of General Pope:

SPEED BUTLER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY IN THE FIELD, Numbers 41.
Commerce, February 27, 1862.

The First Division of the Army in the Field will be constituted as follows:

First Brigade, Colonel John Groesbeck commanding: Twenty-seventh Regiment Ohio Volunteers, Colonel Fuller; Thirty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteers, Colonel Groesbeck ; Forty-third Regiment Ohio Volunteers, Colonel Smith.

Second Brigade, Colonel J. B. Plummer, Eleventh Missouri Volunteers, commanding: Eleventh Missouri Volunteers, Colonel J. B. Plummer; Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteers, Colonel Loomis; Sixty-third Ohio Volunteers, Colonel Sprague.

Eleventh Ohio Battery, Battalion First U. S. Infantry, Seventh Illinois Cavalry, two companies Engineer Regiment are for the present assigned for duty this division.

Brigadier General Schuyler Hamilton is assigned to the command of the division.

By order of General Pope:

SPEED BURTLER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

COMMERCE, February 28, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK:

My whole command is on the march. I join it to-morrow night at Sikeston. Further instructions will reach me here to-day. I would be glad to know when the demonstration on Columbus and the movement of Steele to Oak Grove will be made. Steele ought to move certainly to-morrow morning or sooner. Enemy re-enforcing New Madrid from Randolph. I will be upon them before they can make much preparation. Have only eighteen pieces of artillery, of small caliber Hope to meet more from Cairo. Please order forward wagons, &c.

JNO. POPE,

Brigadier-General.