GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT, No. 2,

Numbers 158.
Murfreesborough, December 21, 1862.

The practice of subordinate officers publishing orders, &c., in news-papers is disapproved, and will be discontinued. Several instances recently have occurred where valuable information as to the position of our troops have been thus conveyed to the enemy. No such publications will be allowed unless approved at general headquarters.

By command of General Bragg:

GEO. G. GARNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,

Numbers 23.
Murfreesborough, December 21, 1862.

The regiments of the brigade of Brigadier-General Wood, which, on the memorable field of Perryville, participated in the gallant and desperate charge resulting in the capture of the enemy's batteries, will, in addition to the name of the field on their colors, place the cross-cannon inverted.

By command of General Bragg:

GEORGE WM. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,

Numbers 23.
Murfreesborough, December 21, 1862.

The regiment of the brigade of Brigadier-General Wood, which, on the memorable field of Perryville, participated in the gallant and desperate charge resulting in the capture of the enemy's batteries, will, in addition to the name of the field on their colors, place the cross-cannon inverted.

By command of General Bragg:

GEORGE WM. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. HARDEE'S CORPS, ARMY OF TENN.,

Numbers 17.
Near Eagleville, December 21, 1862.

I. Brigadier-General Preston is assigned to duty with Breckinridge's division, and will report to Major-General Breckinridge.

II. The Thirty-second Alabama Regiment is assigned to duty with Preston's brigade, Breckinridge's division, until Adams' brigade can join the division.

By command of Lieutenant-General Hardee:

T. B. ROY,

Chief of Staff.

VICKSBURG, MISS., December 22, 1862.

Mr. PRESIDENT:

From such information as I have been able to obtain, I think that we shall require, to hold this department and the Mississippi River, an active army of about 40,000 men to oppose the troops of Grant and Banks, and garrisons Vicksburg and Port Hudson capable of holding those places against combined attacks until succored by the active army.

Major-General Smith has about 6,900 artillery and infantry for duty,

Major-General Smith has about 5,900 artillery and infantry for duty, to defend a line of 10 miles, exclusive of the position of Snyder's Mills, which requires three of his eight regiments. Should the enemy attack by land as well as by water, which is highly probable, almost certain, we would require at least eight more regiments, of 500 or 600 men each.

I have not seen Port Hudson, but map of the ground gives me the opinion that it requires a garrison as strong as that necessary here. It now amounts to about 5,500 of all arms, so that an addition of as many more will be required there, in all 11,000 or 12,000.

For the active force, we have now 21,000 men near the Yalabusha.

About 9,000 have been ordered to this department from Lieutenant-General Smith, and it is supposed that an equal force is on its way from Arkansas.