require triplicate receipts, which will be acknowledged before an officer authorized to take such acknowledgments.

If it should be necessary to pay any of the money to guardians or trustees, you will, before delivering it, require them to give sufficient surety for the faithful performance of their duties.

Should you fail to find either of the families, or for any reason be unable to carry out the spirit of the order, you will deposit the money, subject to your own order, and report the circumstances to these headquarters.

Yours, &c.,

H. W. SLOCUM,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Chattanooga, February 16, 1864.

Major General H. W. SLOCUM,
Tullahoma:

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of yesterday, with inclosure.

The major-general commanding directs me to express his gratification at the manner in which General Orders, No. 6, has been executed and concurs with you in commending Colonel Ketcham for the manner in which he has discharged his portion of the duties connected with the matter. Your recommendation as to the disposition to be made of the $5,654,57 in excess is approved, and you are authorized to send Colonel Ketcham to the State of New York with the $5,000, to be divided between the families of the 2 soldiers killed by guerrillas while returning collecting the tax imposed. The time of his absence will not exceed thirty days.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, February 16, 1864-3.30 p.m.

Major-General GRANT:

It is deemed important by the Government that leased plantations on the Mississippi River receive due protection, and the Secretary of War desires that General Ellet's Marine Brigade be assigned to that service. It is understood that it has been so assigned temporarily by General Sherman.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, February 16, 1864.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Vicksburg, Miss.:

MY DEAR GENERAL: Yours of January 29, dated on board the Juliet, is received, and I thank you for the kind allusions to me in your Memphis speech. I saw some notice of it in the newspapers,