[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT, Numbers 78.
Linville Creek, November 28, 1863.

It having been reported to the general commanding that the officers and agents of the subsistence department of this district are unable to procure the supplies imperatively required for the army by purchase, becarse speculators are in the market paying higher prices than those fixed by the government commissioners, and sending such supplies out of the district to be sold again, it is ordered that the commissaries of subsistence at New Market, Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Lexington, and those on duty with the command in subsestence found in the use of the army, all the necessaries of subsistence found in the hands of speculators, or which have been sold to speculators, though not delivered, to be sent out of the district, and by the term "speculator" is meant any one who buys to sell again; and any one in this military district making alleged purchases for private consumption, or for the use of the poor, or soldiers' families in other districts, for the use of railroad employes or government contractors, will not be permitted to remove supplies from this district, excepting by special orders from these headquarters, or from the War Department, and the commessary officers and agents named in this order will see that no purchases are caried into effect by the contracting parties. This order is not intended to apply to necessaries in the hands of producers in transitu to market, which have not been sold, or engaged to be sold, before or on their arrival at market.

By order of Brigadier General J. D. Imboden, commanding:

G. W. McPHAIL,
Lieutenant, and Aide-de-Camp.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF WESTERN VA. AND EAST TENN.,

Dublin, January 15, 1864.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, C. S. Army:

GENERAL: I forward herewith the returns of my command for November and September.

I have received several copies of a circular of June last, issued from your office, requiring tri-monthly returns. Shortly after receipt of the first copy, I forwarded my department return, which was inaccurate in one or two trifling particulars, and for this was returned. I have since tried to insure entire accuracy, and consequently have in almost every case had to send back the reports of subordinate officers for correction. This has heretofore and must hereafter cause great delay in department returns, when it is considered that my troops are scattered over a line extending from beyond Huntersville, Va., to Rogersville, in Tennesse.

These troops are in places accessible only by couriers, some of whom necessarily require several days to go and return. In illustration of this, I will add that I have only been enable to get this morning the connected reports from two commands for making up the returns forwarded herewith.

58 R R-VOL XXIX, PT II