GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF TENNESSEE,

Numbers 14.
Holly Springs, Miss., December 22, 1862.

By direction of the General-in-Chief of the Army the troops in this department, including those of the Department of the Missouri operating on the Mississippi River, are hereby divided into four army corps, as follows:

1st. The troops composing the Ninth Division, Brigadier General G. W. Morgan commanding; the Tenth Division, Brigadier General A. J. Smith commanding, and all other troops operating on the Mississippi River below Memphis not included in the Fifteenth Army Corps, will constitute the Thirteenth Army Corps, under the command of Major General John A. McClernand.

2d. The Fifth Division, Brigadier General Morgan L. Smith commanding; the division from Helena, Ark., commanded by Brigadier General F. Steele, and the forces in the District of memphis will constitute the Fifteenth Army Corps and be commanded by Major General W. T. Sherman.

3d. The Sixth Division, Brigadier General J. McArthur commanding; the Seventh Division, Brigadier General I. F. Quinby commanding; the Eighth Division, Brigadier General L. F. Ross commanding; Second Brigade Cavalry, Colonel Lee commanding, and the troops in the District of Columbus commanded by Brigadier-General Davies, and those in the District of Jackson commanded by Brigadier-General Sullivan, will constitute the Sixteenth Army Corps, and be commanded by Major-General Hurlbut.

4th. The First Division, Brigadier General J. W. Denver commanding; the Third Division, Brigadier General John A. Logan commanding; the Fourth Division, Brigadier General J. G. Lauman commanding; First Brigade of Cavalry, Colonel B. H. Grierson commanding, and the forces in the District of Corinth commanded by Brigadier General G. M. Dodge, will constitute the Seventeenth Army Corps, and be commanded by Major General J. B. McPherson.

District commanders will send consolidated returns of their forces to these headquarters, as well as to army corps headquarters, and will for the present receive orders from department headquarters.

By order of Major General U. S. Grant:

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL., December 23, 1862.

(Received 7.30 p. m.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I received on yesterday the following dispatch from General Halleck, dated December 21,:

The following telegram is forwarded for your information:

"Major-General GRANT, Oxford, Miss.:

"The troops in your department, including those form General Curtis' command which join the down-river expedition, will be divided into four army corps. It is the wish of the President that General McCLernand's corps shall constitute a part of the river expedition, and that he shall have the immediate command, under your directions.

"J. C. KELTON,

"Assistant Adjutant-General."