sons acting in official capacity at that post were found to be without commissions. The enrolling officer and quartmaster were duly notified of the fact. Their names will be found on the inclosed roster. On reaching here I find the following to be the distribution of the forces of Lieutenant-General Polk: Loring's division at Montevallo, French's division at Tuscaloosa, writ Adams' brigade on Yazoo River, Chalmer's brigade at Panola. Forrest's division is yet in tennessee, but is expected at Tupelo toward the end of the week.

There is no complete roster of the staff departments at the headquarters of General Polk. The returns are but partial, although to effect a full return. I hope that it will be perfected before I get that there are 173 quartermasters in the department, exclusive of cavalry. Many quartermasters and commissaries have never been bonded, and I have instructed that the names of such be handed over to the conscript officers, and that quartermasters will not pay their accounts. General Polk has organized a provost-marshal system for his department as follows: He has divided it into nine districts and a lieutenant-colonel in each district, the whole under the control of a provost-marshal-general at headquarters. These officers are selected from those who have been wounded or become supernumerary. The object of the organization is to arrest absentees and now infest the department. It is at present sustained by detachments made from the army, but it is the design of General Polk ot use the companies organized for local defense for local defense for this purpose.

Colonel Walter this day received his orders to proceed to Georgia, and will leave this evening. I shall go to Columbus, miss., to-morrow.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE WM. BRENT,

Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

DEMOPOLIS, April 25, 1864.

General BRAGG:

I refer you to my dispatch of 17th instant to General Cooper. I have no reason to believe it the enemy's intention to abandon the movement therein indicated, and in view of the important interests at stake I think it not prudent ot remove that division form my front for the present.

L. POLK,

Lieutenant-General.

OFFICE ASSISTANT CHIEF QUARTERMASTER, Demopolis, April 25, 1864.

Major G. W. JONES,

Controlling Quartermaster Taz in Kind, Marion, Ala.:

MAJOR:It is very important that forage be furnished to the troops at Tuscaloosa and Montevallo. Will you please give your subordi-

52 R R-VOL XXXII, PT III