United States when the condition of the supplies at your station will justify such issue and the circumstances of applicants seem to render it necessary for the Government to give them assistance.

First. Each ration to be issued under this authority shall consist of 4 ounces of pork or bacon, 4 ounces of flour, soft bread, or corn meal, 2 ounces of beans, pease, or hominy, 2 ounces of brown sugar, and 5 ounces of tea to every 30 rations. In authorizing this issue it is not intended to do more than help sustain the families of those who are absent.

Second. So far as practicable, applications will be filed on the 1st of each month, and an officer will be charged with the special duty of investigating and reporting upon the claims of applicants.

Third. The commanding officer will countersign the returns and will be held responsible for the justness and propriety of the issue, which for convenience should generally embrace the entire month and be made from the 3rd to the 8th.

Fourth. The commissary of subsistence making the issue will keep a separate abstract for the same.

By command of Major-General Palmer:

E. B. HARLAN,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

LEXINGTON, KY., March 28, 1865.

Major H. N. BENJAMIN,

Mount Sterling, Ky.:

Troops will be with you for duty beyond Mount Sterling as soon as they can be mounted, equipped, and forwarded from Camp Nelson. Use your present force to the best advantage.

By order of Brigadier-General Hobson:

J. S. BUTLER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

LEXINGTON, KY., March 28, 1865.

Major H. N. BENJAMIN,

Mount Sterling, Ky.:

Guerrillas passed near Jones' Nursery last night, going to Winches ter. Send a mounted force for them.

J. S. BUTLER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
March 28, 1865.

Rear-Admiral H. K. THATCHER,

Commanding West Gulf Blockading Squadron:

ADMIRAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday, and send General Comstock this morning to explain our line of investment and to indicate the measures by which you can co-operate with us. We have no signal stations below D'Olive's Creek, but will have the telegraph in operation to-day. I send a signal officer to ask you to meet General Comstock at Howard's Hotel.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

8 R R-VOL XLIX, PT II