Shall the bateau be wooden or iron? A wooden train can, perhaps, be prepared in sis weeks; an iron train will require a month's more time. Either train should be built in Cincinnati or Louisville, to save costly transportation, and the services of Lieutenant McAlester, or one of General Wright's engineer officers, will be needed to prepare it. The Engineer's Department has no models for iron bateaux, and no experience in the fabrication of trains of that material.

By order of general Totten:

J. D. KURTZ,

Captain of Engineers, Assistants.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Cincinnati, Ohio, November 25, 1862.

Brigadier General G. W. CULLUM,

Chief of Staff, &c., Hdqrs. of the Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a letter* from Brigadier General J. T. Boyle, and of the inclosures to which it refers, giving a general statement of his action under the general Orders, No. 49, issued by Major-General Buell, and subsequently modified by him and myself, and to request that these papers be considered in connection with my letter of the 21st instant to the General-in-Chief upon this subject. I would remark that in answer to General Boyle's question, "What is to be done with deserters?" he has been directed, in case their claims are recognized, to release such as it appears may be trusted on their taking the oath of allegiance, and giving bonds, adding in certain instances, when thought necessary, other conditions, such as restriction to certain limits, and to send such as cannot be relied upon to keep their obligations to Camp Chase as prisoners of war. I have submitted the question of the enlisting of deserters from the rebel service into our own to the Adjutant General of the Army, as I am under the impression that it is prohibited in orders from the War Department, though I have failed to find any such orders.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Cincinnati, Ohio, November 25, 1862.

Colonel J. DILS, JR.,

Commanding Thirty-ninth Kentucky Volunteers,

Camp Finnell, near Piketon, Pike County, Kentucky:

COLONEL: Your letter of the 17th instant was received to-day. Your communication of the 10th instant, reporting your gratifying success in your attack upon a camp of the rebels, was also received, and answered by letter, dated the 19th instant, which you will soon receive, if it has not reached you already.# Lists of paroled soldiers should be sent to these headquarters, for transmission to the commissary-general of pri-

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* Not found.

# For communications referred to, see affair near Piketon, Ky., November 5, Part I. pp. 7,8.

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7 R R - VOL XX, PT II