HDQRS. CAVALRY FORCES, MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., March 10, 1865.

[Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:]

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that General Knipe's division has arrived at this point and awaits transportation to the scene of operations. I respectfully request that you designate the point you wish the cavalry to be disembarked. The Second New Jersey, from Natchez, has arrived, but none of the cavalry from Memphis or Little Rock; and I fear there will be much delay, especially in that from Memphis.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. H. GRIERSON,

Brevet Major-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE, No. 31. Memphis, Tenn., March 10, 1865.

I. The District of West Tennessee is hereby declared to be within the lines of Federal military occupation. There being now no longer any organized hostile force within the district, citizens will be allowed to come freely to Memphis and dispose of their products and take back a limited amount of family supplies. All adult persons coming to Memphis will be required to take the oath of allegiance to the United States Government, if they have not already done so, and all ablebodied men coming within the lines will be presumed to be rebel soldiers. On taking the oath, such as desire to go North will be sent there, and such as desire to remain in Memphis, who can find employment in the city, will be allowed so to remain. Those who wish to return to their homes in West Tennessee and North Mississippi will be allowed to do so on giving satisfactory security that they will not again take up arms against the Government of the United States, or give aid and comfort to its enemies.

II. It will be presumed that the products of the country brought to this market from within this district have been raised by free labor, for the reason that so many opportunities have been given to those whose labor was involuntary to escape from such servitude. Persons who desire to take out plantation supplies will be required to register their plantations, if they have not already registered them; and those persons who possess no plantations will be allowed to take out supplies in proportion to their limited wants.

III. In order to protect those persons who come to the city with the products of the country from the hungry swarm of sharpers who infest the lines, the picket-officers stationed upon the authorized roads leading to the city will be furnished with pass tickets, one of which will be given to each party bringing in products, who will drive at once to the plaza and report in person to Colonel E. Bouton, at his office in barracks near the head of Madison street. Colonel Bouton will impart to persons so reporting all necessary information in regard to their rights and duties, will countersign their tickets, and allow them to proceed to any part of the city and dispose of their products and procure such supplies as may reasonably be permitted.

IV. The practice of sending out runners or agents to the picket-line to intercept people arriving from the interior must be discountinued, and all persons found interfering with people coming into the city before they have reported to the officer appointed in the third section of this