erty take care at the covered bridge; about thirty-five men are stationed there on picket duty; and from Liberty to Summit, be cautious at the old tankard, and from Clinton to Whitestown near Dubose's plantation, and from Camp Moore to Amite Station, near Captain Gilman's house.

HEADQUARTERS POST AND DEFENSES OF VICKSBURG,
Vicksburg, Miss., February 21, 1865.

Captain FOX:

A. J. Smith's corps got off evening of the 19th for New Orleans. Knipe's cavalry division is in camp at Four-Mile Bridge. Captain gray arrived from New Orleans yesterday with special instructions for him from General Canby. A flag of truce arrived yesterday, which I immediately ordered back across Big Black; will send full particulars. Knipe is not to move until further orders from headquarters Military Division of West Mississippi. I send you papers.

Your obedient servant,

M. L. SMITH,

Brigadier-General.

NEW ORLEANS, LA., February 21, 1865.

COMMANDING GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF MISSISSIPPI,

Memphis:

Send the Eighth Iowa and One hundred and eighth Illinois to this city with all possible dispatch. These are in addition to the troops ordered from Memphis on the 28th ultimo, and of which only the Sixty-eighth Colored has arrived, for reasons unexplained.

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

WASHINGTON, D. C., February 21, 1865-1. 12 p. m.

(Via Cairo. Received Vicksburg 10. 25 p. m. 5th.)

Major-General WASHBURN,

Memphis or Vicksburg:

If not now at Memphis you will go there immediately and assumed command, reporting to Major General G. H. Thomas.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

SPRINGFIELD, MO., February 21, 1865.

His Excellency the GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OR ARKANSAS:

SIR: For the following reasons I am induced to address you in behalf of a portion of our State: Several counties in Northwestern Arkansas have been almost depopulated in consequence of the withdrawal of U. S. troops from that section of the State. Those persons are now in Missouri, and have left their property to be destroyed by the numerous bands of guerrillas that infest that country, one of the most fertile regions of Arkansas. We have, as your Excellency well knows, been compelled to do so in consequence of our love and attachment for our once prosperous Government. The U. S. troops in this