absentees, and paroled men, and keep down such rebellions as that above. It is a great inconvenience and annoyance to have troops in the department who are not acting under the orders of the department commander. It interferes with discipline very greatly, and brings many evils, of which the affairs in Jones and other counties are the proof. I cannot be held responsible for the proper administration of the department when the power to control its affairs is divided between me and another officer, and I again ask that the whole of the military operations of my department of my department of placed in my hands.

I remain, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

L . POLK,

Lieutenant-General.

[Indorsement.]

To comply with the suggestion in this letter would but add to the military responsibilities of General Polk, and would not lessen the evil complained of, inasmuch as it would require the same amount of force to enforce conscription and apprehend deserters, to which the general here objects.

S. C.

HEADQUARTERS STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, Macon, March 3, 1864.

Brigadier-General CHALMERS,
Commanding Cavalry near Starkville, Miss.:

General: I am directed by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief to forward to you to inclosed order for Colonel John McGuirk, commanding the Third Regiment Mississippi State Cavalry, and to request that the regiment be dispatched with all convenient speed. It is destined for a special and important service, which brooks no delay; otherwise, the Governor instructs me to say he would await the return of Major-General Lee and Forrest before issuing the inclosed order.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. H. McCARDLE,

Colonel and Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS STATE OF MISSISSIPPI,

Numbers 83.
Macon, March 3, 1864.

Brigadier-General CHALMERS,

Commanding Calvary near Starkville, Miss.;

GENERAL: I am directed by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief to forward to you the inclosed order for Colonel John McGuirk, commanding the Third Regiment Mississippi State Cavalry, and to request that the regiment be dispatched with all convenient speed. It is destined for a special and important service, which brooks no delay; otherwise, the Governor instructs me to say he would await closed order.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. H. McCARDLE,

Colonel and Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS STATE OF MISSISSIPPI,

No. 83.
Macon, March 3, 1864.

Colonel John McGuirk will move forthwith with his regiment to this point, and on his arrival report at these headquarters for orders.

By order of Charles Clark, Governor and Commander-in-Chief:

W. H. McCARDLE,

Adjutant-General.

ATLANTA, GA., March 3, 1864.

Brigadier General W. W. MACKALL,

Chief of Staff, Army of Tennessee, Dalton, Ga.;

GENERAL: Special Orders, Numbers 57, dated February 28, 1864, headquarters Army of Tennessee, assigned Brigadier General M. J. Wright