HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

Saint Louis, April 9, 1862.

Major-General POPE, New Madrid:

Send sick to this city. General and field officers, prisoners of war, to Fort Warren, Boston Harbor; other officers to Columbus, Ohio. Send 1,500 prisoners to Chicago, 1,000 to Springfield, and remainder to Madison and Milwaukee, via Prairie du Chien. Wisconsin troops should be sent to guard the latter. I suggest Colonel Murphy. Telegraph to Major Allen when you will be ready to send back your troops. He is preparing ten large steamers.

All stores, &c., should be removed from Commerce, and all mules, wagons, &c., not required by you must be immediately sent up the Tennessee River. As you will have all your supplies in steamers and will not move far from the river, you will not require a large amount of land transportation. I shall leave here at 2 p. m. and will be in Cairo to-morrow morning.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, April 9, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK, Saint Louis:

ORDERED:

1st. That at Meridian of the Sunday next after the receipt if this order at the head of every regiment in the armies of the United States there shall be offered by its chaplain a prayer giving thanks to the Lord of Hosts for the recent manifestation of his power in the overthrow of rebels and traitors, and invoking the continuance of his aid in delivering this nation, by the army of patriot soldiers, from the horrors of treason, rebellion, and civil war.

2nd. That the thanks and congratulations of the War Department are rendered to Major-General Halleck for the signal ability and success that have distinguished the military operations of his department and for the spirit and courage manifested by the army under his command, under every hardship and against every odds, in attacking, pursuing and destroying the enemy wherever he could be found.

3rd. That the thanks of the Department are also given to Generals Curtis and Sigel and the officers and soldiers of their command for matchless gallantry at the bloody battle of pea Ridge, and to Major-Generals Grant and Buell and their forces for the glorious repulse of Beauregard at Pittsburgh, in Tennessee, and to Major-General Pope and his officers and soldiers for the bravery and skill displayed in their operations against the rebels and traitors intrenched at Island Numbers 10, on the Mississippi River. The daring courage, diligent prosecution, persistent valor, and military result of these achievements are unsurpassed.

4th. That there shall this day be a salute of one hundred guns from the United States Arsenal at Washington in honor of these great victories.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.