to hold in depot a sufficient supply of haversacks, canteens, and all other equipments, and the ordnance department a sufficiency of arms and accouterments, there are many men in the ranks without canteens, haversacks, bayonets, even muskets, cartridge- boxes, &c. More particularly were the Twenty- eighth and Twenty- ninth Illinois Infantry Regiments, and the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, deficient, whilst at the same time extra supplies of the same articles were, with the exception of saber- belts, to be found at the quartermaster's and ordnance depots. Large fatigue parties have been required from the regiments by the quartermaster's department at the time when the quartermaster had a force of forty or FIFTY laborers for that purpose. Even the streets and gutters of the city have been habitually cleaned by U. S. soldiers, whereas this work should have been done by civil or military prisoners, or by hired labor paid for by the city. Soldiers have also been supplied as clerks to the Treasury and Post- Officer Departments, and some are even now so employed. It is only necessary to invite your attention to such abuses to be sure of reform. The very important General Orders, numbered 4, 5 1/2, 6, and 7, and the circular of June 27, from headquarters Military DIVISION of WEST Mississippi, and Circular Numbers 1 from the inspector- general of the same, so far from having been acted on or complied with here, appear, prior to your arrival, not even to have been distributed. Your immediate and close attention is called to all of these papers, and you are instructed to see that the requirements of them are, in every respect, carefully and efficiently carried out. The reserve fore at this post, under General Orders, Numbers 4, will for the present be composed of the Twenty- ninth Illinois Infantry and the FIFTY- eighth U. S. Infantry (colored). All details from these regiments for extra or special service at depots, hospitals, &c., will at once be relieved and the men sent to their regiments and companies. You will cause the se troops, in addition to their usual reports, immediately to report direct to DIVISION headquarters, as required by General Orders, Numbers 7, and you will provide and keep in reserve for this prompt movement the boats ordered in General Orders, Numbers 6, and these troops will be constantly held in readiness to move by land or water at an hour's notice. The garrison for the defense of this place will then consist of the Twenty- eighth Illinois Infantry, the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Battery K, Second Illinois Artillery; the Sixth U. S. Colored Artillery (heavy), nine companies of he Sixty- THIRD and Sixty- fourth U. S. Infantry (colored), and the incomplete regiments of colored troops organizing here, viz, the Seventieth and Seventy- first U. S. Infantry (colored). You will immediately proceed to organize and add to the garrison for defense in case of attack, all detached officers and men on duty at the place; all convalescents and all other persons tho are subject to the Rules and Articles of War. The requirements of circular of May 27, from headquarters Military DIVISION of WEST Mississippi, have not been met here. The detachment of four small companies of inefficient colored troops to Marengo, eight miles from here, and of five companies of the same at Lake Concordia, three miles from here, have been exposed to sudden attack, and beyond the reach of immediate support. These troops will be withdrawn, and a force, not to exceed 300, will be retained at the fort at Vidalia for the protection of the district of leased plantations in its vicinity. The remainder of the force now on the WEST bank of the MISSISSIPPI River, opposite here, will remove to this side to strengthen your garrison, weakened by the troops above designated for field service. Their whole garrison, together with the reserve force, whenever it is her, will of course be subject to be called on, by active