The enemy are reported advancing from Knoxville. These troops occupy my extreme front, and I respectfully request that I may be permitted to retain them for a short time.

JOHN H. MORGAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 175.
Richmond, July 26, 1864.

* * * * * *

XLVIII. Brigadier General John H. Winder, Provisional Army, C. S., is assigned to the command of the military prisons in the States of Georgia and Alabama, and Brigadier General W. M. Gardner, Provisional Army, C. S. Army, C. S., MISSISSIPPI River. In reference to all matters relating to prisoners and prisoners they will communicate directly with and receive orders from the Adjutant and Inspector General.

By command of the Secretary of War:

SAML. W. MELTON,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

JACKSON, MISS., July 26, 1864.

General BRAXTON BRAGG, C. S. Army,

Commanding Armies of the Confederate States, Montgomery, Ala.:

SIR: In the absence of Colonel G. W. Brent, assistant adjutant- general, I address this communication directly to you, because I desire to call your attention to the evils existing in this department which ought to be removed. I trust this will be sufficient to justify the violation of the rule requiring all official communications to be addressed to the Adjutant-General, since he is at a remote point and the matters called attention to requiring prompt consideration. The corps of secret service men are inefficient in this State; a few corrupt, engaged in speculation, cotton traffic with the enemy; a good many in the river counties of the State worthless to the service, and the whole a failure. They are protected by ample papers from the War Department, and when relieved retain possession of these protecting papers. This shows the inefficiency of this part of service. The whole of Western MISSISSIPPI is flooded with a number of officers having authority to raise cavalry commands, some from the former department commander, but mostly from the Secretary of War, and of recent date. The authorities grant power to organize commands within the lines of the enemy. It is all a failure. I dare say that not one officer in a hundred has succeeded. This policy is defended upon the ground that there is no other way of securing to the country the service of these men living in the enemy's lines. The service is rarely benefitted. I know not a single organization of this kind which is reliable or which is attached to regular service, except in the command of Major-General Forrest. In Southwestern MISSISSIPPI and East Louisiana there are 1,000 men out of the service of their country under these various authorities issued from the War Office. It is a source of irritation to faithful soldiers and of disaffection to the people. There are several companies, perhaps enough to constitute a strong brigade of State troops organized before the passage of