HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, March 11, 1862.

Brigadier-General CULLUM, Cairo, Ill.:

Siege guns from here will be sent as soon as possible. Those at Paducah, &c., should be made ready for General Grant. Transports which have left here are not full; can take more troops at Cairo, Paducah, or Fort Henry. Everything available must be sent up the Tennessee. Commerce will be broken up, and everything transferred to Bird's Point.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Nashville, March 11, 1862.

Brigadier General O. M. MITCHEL,

Commanding Third Division:

GENERAL: It has been represented to me that there are several fugitive slaves in your camp; that the owners of some of them, Dr. Stoepwell and Mr. Thomas, of Kentucky, were prevented yesterday from recovering them-in one case the servant being taken from his owner and himself maltreated and injured by some of your men. It is stated also that once before these servants, or some of them, were turned out of your lines by your orders, and that, nevertheless, they have since been encouraged or permitted to return without your authority.

If nothing more, it is necessary that the discipline of your command shall be vindicated. You will therefore cause the negroes, if still in your camp, to be arrested and held until 12 o'clock to-morrow. If in that time the owners or their agents shall call for them they will be allowed to take them away, and, if necessary, will be protected from harm or molestation. If they do not call for them, you will release and expel the negroes from your camp, and in future no fugitive slave will be allowed to enter or remain in your lines.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[D. C. BUELL,]

Brigadier-General, Commanding Department.

HEADQUARTERS EXPEDITIONARY CORPS,
Steamer Continental, March 12, 1862.

To Commanders of Brigades:

The object of our expedition is to cut the Charleston and Memphis Railroad at a point between Corinth and Iuka. I propose to run up the river nearly to Eastport and Chickasaw, which is fortified; then to drop back to Tyler's Landing, above the mouth of Yellow Creek; there to disembark the whole command, march back about 7 miles on the road to Iuka, then halt, and send the cavalry to the railroad, about 7 miles off, destroy it, and then return to the boats. The object is not to engage the enemy in force, but to break their communications.

Commanders of brigades will advise the colonels of regiments of this plan, and see that the men march in silence and order. Muskets should be loaded, and in case a boat is fired on, it should be landed and the enemy punished.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Brigadier-General.