Confiscation acts were never intended to be executed by soldiers, and if they were the General Government should have full benefit of all property of which individuals are deprived. A stoppage of pay against offenders will effect this end, and it is to be hoped will correct this growing evil. It is not only the duty of commissioned officers to correct this evil, but of all good men in the ranks to report every violation, and it is determined now that they shall have a pecuniary interest in doing so. Assessments will also be made against commissioned officers in the proportion of their pay proper.

Where offenses of the nature contemplated in this order are traced to individuals they will be summarily punished to the full extent formerly given to garrison court-martials, or be arrested and tried by a general court-martial, according to the enormity of the offense, and the severest penalties provided imposed and executed.

This order will be read on dress-parades before each regiment and detachment for three successive evenings.

By order of Major General U. S. Grant:

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Springfield, Ill., November 10, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I received your order on the 21st ultimo at Washington to proceed to Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa and take measures for the preparation of the Mississippi expedition.

Leaving Washington on the morning of the 22nd I arrived at Indianapolis on the 23d, and on the same day had an interview with Governor Morton, who responded cordially to the project of the proposed expedition.

Leaving Indianapolis on the 24th I arrived at this place on the morning of the 25th, and immediately sought an interview with Governor Yates, who also responded with similar assurances.

As soon as the necessary dispatches could be prepared I immediately sent Major Scates, assistant adjutant-general, to Iowa, to see and confer with Governor Kirkwood, who also entered zealously into the project.

When I reached here the impendency of the late election in this State, and the interest felt in it by State officials, in some degree impeded my efforts to forward the troops remaining in the State.

I should also state in explanation of the tardiness attending enlistments that the scarcity of necessary labor caused by the very great number of troops sent from this State has hardly left any of the adult male population behind at liberty to leave their homes. Yet within the short space of sixteen days I have completed the organization, mustered, and forwarded from the different camps in Illinois six regiments of infantry and one six-gun battery to Columbus, Ky., and six regiments of infantry and one six-gun battery to Memphis, Tenn.

From Indiana I have forwarded five regiments of infantry, and from Iowa three, also to Columbus, Ky. In addition to these there is another regiment of infantry in Illinois now under marching orders, and three others in the same State will be mustered by the middle of the current week; and ten more in Iowa, as I am informed, are only lacking overcoats, which I hope soon to furnish. Besides these, probably by the 15th instant twelve or more regiments from Illinois and Iowa may