In this manner no extra expense will be entailed upon the Government for transportation troops, he integrity of the Seventeenth Army Corps will be preserved, the troops and their commander placed in a position congenial to their wishes.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. B. McPHERSON,

Major-General, Commanding Seventeenth Army Corps.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE TENNESSEE,

No. 25. Vicksburg, March 7, 1864.

The following disposition is made of the cotton captured and brought to Vicksburg by the Yazoo River expedition, Colonel Coates, Eleventh Illinois Infantry, commanding.

I. One thousand bales will be delivered to the special agent of the Treasury Department, to be by him disposed of all other abandoned or confiscated personal property, but designed by me to indemnify the owners of the steamer Allen Collier, burned by the rebel near Bolivar Landing, and any other losses sustained by steam-boats navigating the Mississippi between Memphis and Vicksburg engaged in a lawful and licensed commerce.

II. The balance will be held by the post quartermaster of Vicksburg, to be disposed of as follows:

General McPherson will appoint a board of 3 officers, who will hear and adjudicate all claims of loyal citizens residing on the Mississippi River, within the limits of his district, for damages sustained to their property by guerrillas or the public enemy, or our own troops, such as the burning of Dr. Duncan's cotton, in the seed or in will make an award inking, viz, in bales of cotton, and their award will be examined by the commanding officer of the District of Vicksburg, and if approved and ordered pais, the quartermaster having it in charge will made the restitution in kind, taking receipts therefor in full satisfaction for all damages sustained.

III. After ninety days from the date of this order, the balance of the cotton, if any, will be turned over to the agent of the Treasury Department as captured property.

IV. Brigadier General J. M. Tuttle, U. S. Volunteers, commanding division, Sixteenth Army Corps, is hereby relieved from duty with that corps, and is assigned to duty with the Seventeenth Army Corps, and will report to Major-General McPherson.

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By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

L. M. DAYTON,

Aide-de-Camp.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

No. 15. Vicksburg, Miss., March 7, 1864.

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II. The following batteries, with their entire equipage and transportation, will as soon as transportation can be obtained proceed to Memphis, Tenn., there reporting for orders to these headquarters: Ninth Indiana Battery, Fourteenth Indiana Battery, Company E,