QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, September 21, 1863.

Respectfully returned to the General-in-Chief.

The steamers McClellan, Arago, Continental, and Cahawba form a regular line of steamers between New York and New Orleans. The two latter have been retained by General Banks. The retention of the McClellan will entirely break up this arrangement. She was sent from New York to Hilton Head on the 5th instant, with stores, the great number of recent departures from New York for New Orleans doubtless permitting her to be dispensed with at that time.

CHAS. THOMAS,

Acting Quartermaster-General.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE SOUTH, Numbers 77. In the Field, Morris Island, S. C., September 17, 1863.

I. It has come to the knowledge of the brigadier-general commanding that the detachments of colored troops detailed for fatigue duty have been employed, in one instance at least, to prepare camps and perform menial duty for white troops. Such use of these details is unauthorized and improper, and is hereafter expressly prohibited.

Commanding officers of colored regiments are directed to report promptly to these headquarters any violations of this order which may come to their knoweldge.

II. Hereafter no civilian and no officer, excepting in cases provided for by Paragraph II, of General Orders, No. 277, current series, War Department, will be allowed a Government horse for his private use.

Officers entitled by law to forage will be allowed to purchase horses from the quartermaster's department in accordance with the rules prescribed by regulations and in general orders from the War Department, and horses so purchased will in no case be exchanged.

All public horses now in use by individuals, except in cases coming within the order above mentioned, will be immediately purchased as herein provided or turned in to the quartermaster's department.

Officers desiring to be provided with horses under the provisions of General Orders, No. 277, must obtain the permission of the brigadier-general commanding the department, and all officers now holding such permission must have the same renewed.

Commanding officers of regiments, brigades, and posts are charged with the execution of this order. The paragraph of General Orders, Numbers 277, above referred to, is as follows:

II. Officers falling in temporary command of bodies of troops, to command which they should be mounted, or employed temporarily on staff or special duty which, for the occasion, requires them to be furnished with horses, will, upon the certificate to that effect and order of a general officer commanding a corps or department, or of the highest independent commander on the spot, not being less than a brigade commander, be provided with the requisite horses and horse equipments for the service required of them by the quartermaster's department. These will be receipted and accounted for by the officer receiving them, and will be turned in again to the quartermaster's department when the mounted service for which they were drawn shall have terminated.

By order of Brigadier General Q. A. Gillmore:

ED. W. SMITH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.