relieve that part of the State from negro troops as soon as practicable. If they are not needed for the public service in your department, let them be sent where they are, or, if not needed at all, it would be better that they be taken to the proper points and mustered out of service, and thereby reduce the enormous expense of the Government. Cannot instructions be given General Gillem to attend to and see that proper discipline and order are without delay restored and enforced?

ANDREW JOHNSON.

NASHVILLE, TENN., September 4, 1865.

(Received 8.10 p. m.)

ANDREW JOHNSON,

President of the United States:

I am only waiting to hear from Generals Steedman and Woods what troops they can dispense with to make a new distribution of the colored troops, and I think I can dispense with at least 5,000 in Tennessee, and will order them either to Georgia or Alabama as soon as I can hear rom the above named officers.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 44.
Vicksburg, Miss., September 5, 1865.

* * * *

III. The Third Maryland Cavalry, as soon as its muster out is completed, under the provisions of General Orders, Numbers 94, current series, of the War Department, Adjutant-General's Office,w ill proceed without delay, with its arms, colors, and necessary equipage, to Baltimore, Md., there reporting to the proper mustering officer for final payment and discharge. The quartermaster's department will furnish transportation.

By order of Major-General Slocum:

J. WARREN MILLER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

NASHVILLE, September 5, 1865.

Major-General STONEMAN,

Knoxville:

Can you with safety reduce the force in East Tennessee, particularly in the portion east of Knoxville? I desire to send from Tennessee to Alabama and Georgia as many colored regiments as you can safely spare. Report what you can do.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

EXECUTIVE MANSION,

Washington, September 6, 1865.

Governor W. G. BROWNLOW,

Nashville, Tenn.:

I had just anticipated the subject referred to in your letter by dispatching to General Thomas to relieve East Tennessee of the difficulty