SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. OF ARMY, ADJT. General 'S OFFICE, Numbers 40.
Washington, January 26, 1864.

1. Brigadier General Francis C. Barlow, U. S. Volunteers, is hereby relieved from duty in the Department of the South and assigned to the Second Army Corps. He will report, by letter, to Major-General Hancock, U. S. Volunteers, at Harrisburg, Pa., for recruiting duty for that corps.

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By command of Major-General Halleck:

E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

CULPEPER, January 26, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel C. ROSS SMITH,

Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps:

I send a reconnaissance toward Madison Court-House across Robertson River. It reports no enemy this side of the river, except the Fourth Virginia Cavalry. Four of them were captured by a party sent out.

W. MERRITT,

Brigadier-General.

HDQRS. NINTH ARMY CORPS (FOR SPECIAL SERVICE),
New York, January 26, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

MY DEAR SIR: I fell that the former consideration and kindness with which you have treated me warrants me in writing you this semi-official letter, and if he suggestions therein made prove worthless from non-accordance with your other plans, or from any other cause, you will of course know that I will, nevertheless, acquiesce and co-operate most cheerfully to the extent of my ability in any plans that may be adopted for a future campaign.

In view of the fact that we now hold very strong and defensible positions on the main railroad communications of the enemy between Virginia and the Southwest, via East Tennessee, it would seem to be most desirable that the lines leading to the southwest through North Carolina should also be cut and held by our forces, and this can certainly be no better done from any point than from the excellent base which we now hold in the waters of North Carolina. Troops and supplies can be transported to Morehead City by heavy-draught vessels and to New Berne through Hatteras Inlet by light-draught vessels, and troops can also be sent from Norfolk to the Chowan River, or to Elizabeth City, from which points they can be taken on board light-draught vessels for future operations.

Two plans have suggested themselves to me:

First. To concentrate all the force possible at Morehead City and New Berne, from which points rapid movements can be made upon Wilmington, the troops from Morehead City making a direct attack upon the place, while those from New Berne protect this first column from any flank movements of the enemy. It is my opinion that Wilmington can be taken by a dash of this kind. After this work