OKOLONA, MISS., February 18, 1864.

Colonel McCRILLIS,

Commanding Brigade:

SIR: The general directs you to move your brigade promptly at break of day to-morrow morning by the best route from your present encampment to Pikeville, and thence toward West Point, keeping to the westward, if practicable, of the road from Okolona to West Point, throwing out detachments on all right-hand roads, looking carefully toward Houston. The center brigade will move down the direct road from here to West Point, delaying to destroy the railroad and stores accumulated along the lines as effectually as possible. Communicate with the center column as often as practicable.

Yours, truly,

WM. H. INGERTON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[FEBRUARY 18, 1864.-For Ingerton to Waring, directing movement of brigade, see Part I, p.267.]

CAIRO, February 18, 1864.

Major-General GRANT:

The late Treasury order removes all restrictions from trade in Kentucky and Missouri, and goods going from Cairo, Paducah, and Hickman will undoubtedly reach Tennessee if unrestricted, as I have not sufficient force to guard the whole border. What shall I do without it?

H. T. REID,

Brigadier-General, Commanding District.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS.2nd Brigadier, 3rd DIV., 16TH A. C.,

No. 5. In the Field, Mississippi, February 18, 1864.

Information having been received at these headquarters that men of this command have been guilty of pillaging from private houses articles of no value to the soldiers, but important to every household, such as clothing of women and children, a species of plunder unknown to civilized warfare, it is hereby ordered that hereafter during the march no soldier shall enter a house occupied by a family unless under direction of a commissioned officer; and further, that nothing is to be taken from private houses by officers or men, except provisions and such articles as are necessary for the subsistence of the army.

This order to be read to each command in the brigade this evening and to-morrow morning.

By order of William T. Shaw, colonel commanding brigade:

C. T. GRANGER,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.