report are exceedingly intelligent and complete, and do great credit to the authors of them.

I commend this matter to the prompt attention of the general commanding, and earnestly and urgently entreat that some plan be adopted to afford prompt and adequate compensation to the good and loyal citizens who have suffered.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. L. CRITTENDEN,

Major-General, Commanding.

Colonel J. P. GARESCHE, Chief of Staff.

Numbers 2.

Report of Brigadier General William Sooy Smith, U. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH DIVISION,
Silver Spring, Tenn., November 16, 1862.

SIR: In obedience to your order of the 21st ultimo, a copy of which is hereto appended, marked A, I directed the Twenty-second Brigade, Brigadier General Charles Cruft commanding, to proceed to the Goose Creek Salt-Works and destroy them. This was as fully done as the time allowed by subsequent orders, directing the return of the brigade, would permit. The manner in which it was accomplished and the extent of the damage done are fully set forth in the accompanying reports of General Cruft and the board of officers appointed by him to look to the destruction of the works and to report their action in full. The want of familiarity with salt manufacture experienced by the officers constituting this board has deterred them from fixing any money value upon the damages done, present and prospective; and I concur in the recommendation contained in General Cruft's report that a competent commission be appointed immediately to take the necessary testimony and assess the damages.

The Salt Works are situated in the midst of a population whose loyalty and patriotism are not excelled in any portion of our country. Much suffering must result to the poor people of the surrounding region from lack of the salt they have heretofore obtained at the works destroyed and the length of time during which the proprietors should be required to suspend operations, leaving the works in their present crippled condition, is a matter that deserve careful consideration. This, of course, will depend very much upon the plan of the campaign and the movements of the United States troops in Southeastern Kentucky, and hence no direction could be given except that the manufacture of salt should be discontinued until further orders.

The noble conduct of some of those interested in the works, especially of Mrs. Garrard, who expressed her entire willingness that not only that valuable property, but all else that she and her husband (a colonel in our service) owned, might be destroyed if such destruction would help to restore the Union, constrains an earnest recommendation that prompt restitution be made for the damage done.

W. S. SMITH,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Fourth Division.

Major STARLING,

Assistant Adjutant-General.