HDQRS. FOURTH Brigadier, FIFTH DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tenn., January 4, 1864.

COMMANDING OFFICER,

Twenty-first Regiment Missouri Infantry:

SIR: Hold your command in readiness to move at a moment's notice. Every officer and man must be kept at his post.

By command of Colonel David Moore, commanding brigade:

JAMES B. COMSTOCK,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

ROOMS WESTERN SANITARY COMMISSION,

Saint Louis, January 4, 1864.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN, Commanding Dept. of the Tennessee:

SIR: We have found the building occupied by us as a soldiers' home at Memphis so far from the river (being a mile or more back of the city) that it is a great inconvenience and drawback to the usefulness of the institution. The building known as the Union Hospital, as we learn from our superintendent, has been vacated and being near the river and centrally located is admirably adapted for our home, being already furnished with many fixtures that would be useful to such an institution. Mr. O. E. Waters, our superintendent, has not been able to procure an order for it to be turned over to him from the authorities in charge of the property at Memphis, probably from an unwillingness on their part to take the responsibility. After consultation with Rev. Dr. Elliot (Mr. Yeatman having gone to Vicksburg), I respectfully, solicit an order from you to the officers in charge of this property, lately occupied as the Union Hospital, Memphis, Tenn., to turn the same over to the Western Sanitary Commission for a soldiers' home, with such fixtures and furniture as are not needed for Government or hospital purposes elsewhere, taking the receipt of their agent for the same. I take the liberty of adding that we regard our soldiers' homes as doing a most useful and excellent work, and that we take pains to have them only temporary stopping-places for the soldiers in passing to and from duty, but at the same time saving them from imposition and expense. Nearly 100,000 have had and lodgings in them since they were established.

With great respect,

J. G. FORMAN,

Secretary.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,

Numbers 4.
Knoxville, Tenn., January 4, 1864.

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XVI. Major General John G. Parke, commanding Forces in the Field, will, after the 6th instant, out of each brigade furlough one regiment re-enlisting as veteran volunteers, authorizing the several corps commanders to regulate the disposition of the regimental property and men not re-enlisting, and the details of the march. He will report his action herein to these headquarters.

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By command of Major-General Foster:

HENRY CURTIS, JR.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.