movement, to afford all the protection in its power to all leased plantations within the limits of your command, whenever it can be done without unreasonable risk of disaster. A co- operation of the gun- boats with the troops of this garrison will secure the safety of leased plantations within the above limits, as fully as it is believed it can be done, without disregarding the requirements of paragraphs 1 and 3 of the circular of June 27.

The trade regulations provided by the President of the United States, which prohibit any supplies whatever, however limited, from leaving your lines, have been habitually and to a great extent disregarded here. Although the local provost- marshal reports that within a few weeks the quantity of supplies passed beyond the line is very greatly less than it was previously, still his records show that within the last eight weeks upward of $118,000 worth of supplies have been passed through. That the enemy have been freely supplied through our lines on the MISSISSIPPI River is notorious, and thereby great opportunities have been afforded to treacherous persons for fraud or corruption. Natchez has played her part in this iniquity. You will see that the lines of your command are hermetically sealed, so that no supplies of any kind shall in future escape beyond them, and in event of your being overruled by superior authority by the granting of a special permit or a special order passing goods beyond your lines, you will immediately report all the circumstances of the case, with the fullest explanations and comments, direct to the headquarters of the Military DIVISION of WEST Mississippi. Whilst it is not discovered that special permits have been granted by the local authorities within the limits of your command for persons to go in and out of the lines who have not taken the oath of allegiance, it is known that permits of that description, some of which are now in force, and have been renewed from time to time, are in possession of females residing here. These permits, so far as ascertained, emanate from Major McKee, Eleventh Illinois Infantry, provost- marshal of the District of Vicksburg, and are given for thirty days at a time. Among others are the following: Miss Mary Buckner, Miss Alice Jenkins, Mrs. Dunbar, Miss Mary Ker, Miss Ophelia Meyers. One of them at least contains authority also to carry supplies without reference to the headquarters of the command. It is directed that all permits such as are above described, emanating from whatever source, be immediately revoked and annulled, and that no more, under any circumstances, by issued.

As I am without a staff or clerks here, you will very much oblige me by furnishing me immediately two fair copies of this paper, in order that I may send one to Major- General Canby, and had the other to Major- General Slocum.

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully,

N. J. T. DANA,

Major- General and Special Inspector.

HEADQUARTERS FORT McPHERSON,
Natchez, Miss., July 20, 1864.

Captain J. H. ODLIN,

Assistant Adjutant- General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to respectfully call your attention to the following statement regarding the condition of the command of which I have lately been relieved. Upon assuming command of the post of