sires to officially express his thanks to the officers and men of Companies B, C, G, H, and I, of the One hundred and twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel E. M. Beardsley, commanding; Companies H, I, and K, of the One hundred and sixth Illinois Infantry, Captain P. W. Harts commanding; "about 600 men" of the Seventh Tennessee Infantry, Colonel John A. Rogers commanding, and Companies A and B (dismounted), of the Second Tennessee Cavalry, Captain Thompson commanding, for the alacrity, cheerfulness, and fearlessness with which all his orders, with one exception, were obeyed, in the trying situation in which we were placed.

To Co. A. G. Malloy, Seventeenth Wisconsin Infantry; Reverend Father [Napoleon] Mignault, of the same regiment, and Mr. Miles Sells, of Saint Louis, Mo. (passengers), he tenders his appreciation of their proffered services.

To Captain George A. Williams, First U. S. Infantry, adjutant; First Lieutenant Henry C. Whittemore, Second Illinois Artillery, aide-de-camp, and Dr. S. L. Hamlen, of Cincinnati, Ohio, subsistence officer (passengers), he acknowledges with gratification their faithful and prompt discharge of onerous duties.

The fact of having saved two large railroad trains, and all and everything on board, from capture and probable destruction by the enemy, and having then driven them out and recaptured the town of Humboldt, Tenn., under very adverse circumstances, is glory enough for one day, and conclusively proves the absolute necessity, for military success, that colonels of regiments should be men select and appointed for their military knowledge, and not for political and social reasons.

GEORGE P. IHRIE,

Colonel and Additional Aide-de-Camp on General Grant's Staff.

HDQRS. RIGHT WING, THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Forest Queen, December 27, 1862.

Admiral DAVID D. PORTER, Flag-Ship Black Hawk:

DEAR SIR: The commencement of rain and non-arrival of General A. J Smith's division make a modification of my plan necessary. I will move the three columns as before indicated, but will send Steele, with two brigades, to Blake's leave, at the mouth of Chickasaw Creek-

1st. To enfilade an threaten the levee along the Yazoo, behind which the enemy works his torpedoes.

2d. To follow the levee along Chickasaw Bayou, back to the hills to secure a lodgment.

The gunboats could then threaten Haines' Bluff battery. It may become necessary for us to use Chickasaw Bayou to boat up stores to its head. Please cause an examination of its mouth when our forces are in possession of both shores.

I am, &c.,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. RIGHT WING, THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Forest Queen, December 27, 1862.

General STEELE, Commanding Fourth Division:

DEAR SIR: The commencement of rain and appearance of a great fall of water, and the non-arrival of General A. J. Smith's division, makes