III. Cavalry from Steele's division will cross Chickasaw Bayou and reconnoiter the ground to our left and front.

IV. General Smith by Colonel Landram's brigade; will improve the road to his rear, and reconnoiter the ground to the right, in rear of Long Lake and as far as False River. All the troops must be prepared for instant action.

By ordered of Major General W. T. Sherman:

J. H. HAMMOND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. RIGHT WING, 13TH ARMY CORPS,

Numbers 40. December 31, 1862.

General Steele's division, with two batteries and without cavalry and the infantry brigade of the Second Division will constitute the force designed to co-operate with the fleet of gunboats in the assault on the battery at Haines' Bluff.

General Frederick Steele will command the whole and will receive special instructions. The utmost silence and secrecy must be preserved. As soon as night sets in the regiments will march to the river, keeping bayonets unfixed, with muskets at a trail or right-shoulder so, as not to be observed by the enemy's lookout; Steele's division to embark at the mouth of Chickasaw Bayou and the brigade of the Second Division at Johnson's Landing, where General Steele will give all necessary orders.

All should be aboard and asleep by 9 p. m. Regimental quartermasters will ride in advance to ascertain the names of the steamers on which they are to embark; and Colonel Parsons, at the Upper Levee, on board the Forest Queen, and Captain Boffinger, at Johnson's Landing, will assign boats to regiment promptly and without confusion. Regimental officers must accept the streamers assigned without a murmur, and not take exceptions to the crowd, as time is material.

By ordered of W. T. Sherman, major-general:

J. H. HAMMOND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. RIGHT WING, 13TH ARMY CORPS,

Numbers 1. Milliken's Bend, January 3, 1863.

The troops will prepare to disembark at Milliken's Bend as soon as the rain moderates. General A. J. Smith's division will take the levee from the stores, landing up the river say half a mile. Above him Morgan's division, leaving an interval, so that they can be distinguished.

M. L. Smith's division will leave a space at the stores of about 200 yards, for the ordnance, quartermaster's, and supply boats,and land his division next below the stores; and Steele's division next below him; all making good and permanent landing places for their supple, much of which must de distributed by water.

The quartermaster will take absolute possession of every house and shed at Milliken's Bend for storage.

By ordered of Major General W. T. Sherman:

J. H. HAMMOND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.