of sales of stock, horses,and mules from your vicinity. It is supposed that many sales are made for fear of confiscation or collection of forfeited bonds.

Such representations have been sent to Washington, and the President is annoyed with protests against all restrictions. While so many are disposed to misrepresent or misunderstand the restrictions upon trade, I am disposed to gradually withdraw them when we can do so with safety. We must do all in our power to restrain the trade in ammunition, so as to prevent rebel bands from procuring it. All use of guns and ammunition for hunting may better be dispensed with than allow rebels to get means to renew their robbing of peaceable citizens. Some difficulty in regard to teams and hands most intervene before we conclude our terrible struggle with rebels, and every class of society must expect to share the general calamity.

It is our to do all we can to avert evil, but by issuing orders relating to buying and selling we must be very careful to avoid complaint and clamor that may defeat our purposes by dividing our friends. I will refer your letter to headquarters at Washington, where matters of this kind seem to be generally discussed and considered more than here.

I am pleased, general, to perceive the fidelity and energy you are manifesting in our common cause, and assure you I highly appreciate your patriotism and loyalty.

I have the honor to be, general, your obedient servant and fellow-soldier,

SAML. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,

No. 11.
Saint Louis, Mo., February 5, 1863.

The following officers, additional to those named in General Orders, No. 37, series of 1862, are announced on the staff of the general commanding, and will be respected and obeyed accordingly: Captain F. S. Winslow, assistant quartermaster, chief quartermaster, and Captain R. McAlister, commissary of subsistence, chief commissary of subsistence.

By command of Major-General Curtis:

H. Z. CURTIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI, Camp at West Plains, February 6, 1863.

Major-General CURTIS,
Commanding Department:

GENERAL: Your letter, by Lieutenant Clarkson, of the 30th ultimo, has been received and carefully digested.

Your instructions will be cheerfully and honestly carried out. I will endeavor to fulfill the duty, though the glory seems far ahead. Leeper shall be tried for abandoning Van Buren without authority.

I have given the order for this army to fall back to a position nearer its base of supply. It is given with reluctance, but it is forced upon us by the poverty of the country and our wants. I have selected a position about equidistant from Rolla and Pilot Knob - say, Chiltonsville or Eminence, temporarily - so as to use two roads, one to Rolla, via