see fit, or upon the recommendation of district provost-marshals, fix the limits of the assistant provost-marshals, so as to include any number of counties or any region of country.

IV. To preserve a record of the current business of this branch of the service, assistant provost-marshals will report to district provost-marshals, and the latter, in full, to the provost-marshal-general, at least as often as twice a month, to wit, on the 15th and last days of each month, as near as may be.

V. At all posts where assistant provost-marshals are not regularly appointed, the commanding officer for the time will perform the duties, and report, as hereinbefore provided.

* * * * *

VII. Officers of the provost-marshal's department, during the existence of civil war, are especially intrusted with the peace and quiet of their respective districts, counties, and sections; and to this end may cause the arrest and confinement of disloyal persons, subject to the instructions and orders of the department. They will have charge of all prisoners taken from the enemy; the keeping of the records, as far as possible, of the prisoners taken by the enemy, that the proper data for an exchange may be at any time obtained; the arrest and return or imprisonment of deserters, and in general all duties relating to prisoners of war or state.

VIII. Before any assistant provost-marshal, or the commander of any troops or post, shall send any prisoners to the provost-marshal-general, at these headquarters, or to district provost-marshals, he small make a list of such prisoners, stating when and where and by whom captured (and, if prisoners of war, the rank, regiment, and company to which they belong), and also the charge against each prisoner, with the substance of the evidence against each, which statement and evidence must be sent with the prisoners. And where persons arrested by assistant provost-marshals are sent to the provost-marshal-general, or to district provost-marshals, the witness against them must be first examined, their residence stated, and their testimony written down and sworn to, and sent along with the prisoners. Assistant provost-marshals and commanders should dispose of prisoners, not charged with serious offenses, without sending them to Saint Louis, and they must be careful not to send prisoners unless there is some evidence to warrant imprisonment.

IX. Prisoners of war are entitled to be exchanged as soon as practicable; and all officers holding or capturing such prisoners will send them forward at once to these headquarters, to the provost-marshal-general, to be exchanged or to be sent to the commissary-general of prisoners, as may be ordered.

X. All orders or parts of orders heretofore issued conflicting herewith are rescinded.

By command of Major-General Curtis:

H. Z. CURTIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SAINT LOUIS, MO., December 2, 1862-3.30 p. m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

I informed you of my organization of forces to move on Grenada, and asked your approval. General Steele now writes me that the move-