under orders from General Grant, and, although acting under my general directions, is not under my command. I would suggest the propriety of your selecting a suitable officer to accompany General Steele's column and carry out your instructions relative to the organization of colored troops, or that you communicate directly with General Steele on the subject.

I will send Colonel Guylee's regiment, now organizing here, to Helena,with orders, to reports to the commanding officer of that place. Its services will be more valuable there than in this department.

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

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Saint Louis, Mo., August 10, 1863.

(Received August 12.)

Brigadier General JOHN McNEIL,
Commanding Dist.of Southwestern Missouri, Springfield, Mo.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose to you a copy of a letter received from Adjutant-General Thomas, in regard to the raising of negro troops. You will at once instruct the officers in command of the Federal forces in Western Arkansas to raise and organize as many regiments of black troops as can be assembled; to choose the officers from meritorious and deserving officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates from the white regiments under his command; to assign them temporarily to duty with the black troops, and report their names, former and new rank, to these headquarters. They will then be examined, and those would worthy will be recommended to Washington for commissions.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General.

(Copy to Major-General Steele.)

[Inclosure.]

CINCINNATI, OHIO, August 5, 1863.

Major General JOHN M. SCHOFIELD,

Commanding, &., Saint Louis, Mo.:

GENERAL: I ma on my way to General Grant's army to organize additional regiments of volunteers of African descent, and understanding that you design making an expedition shortly into Arkansas, I request that you will in the course of your operations collect as many blacks - men, women, and children - as possible. The able-bodied men you can organize into regiments,and I will commission such officers for them as you may designate. You will, of course, be careful to give me only such officers whose hearts are in the work.

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

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARKANSAS EXPEDITION, No. 5.
Helena, Ark., August 10, 1863.

I. The Third Division, Colonel Samuel A. Rice commanding, will take up the line of march to-morrow by the middle to Clarendon. Colonel