WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, April 25, 1865-1. 50 p. m.

Major-General CANBY,

New Orleans:

General Sherman made on the 18th an armistice and an agreement with Joe Johnston for the suspension of hostilities. The President disapproved General Sherman's action and ordered hostilities to be resumed and sent General Grant to direct operations against Johnston's army; but Jeff. Davis and his companions will no doubt take advantage of the armistice to escape to Europe or Mexico with a large amount of plunder in specie. You will disregard the armistice and treat it is void and take measures to arrest Davis and any of his confederates.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
OFFICE OF CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,

New Orleans, La., April 25, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Military Division of West Mississippi:

COLONEL: I have the honor to state that no information of importance from the enemy's lines has reached this office to-day.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. M. JACKSON,

Major, Tenth U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery.

(In absence of Captain S. M. Eaton, chief signal officer, Military Division of West Mississippi.)

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 42.
New Orleans, La., April 25, 1865.

The following general field order is published for the information of all concerned:

GENERAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY AND DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 27.
Mobile, Ala., April 19, 1865.

I. All absent persons who are bona fide residents of Mobile and who were either sent away from here by the rebel authorities or prevented by them from returning, are hereby permitted, if they so desire, to return to their homes and families, reporting upon arrival in this city to the provost-marshal-general.

II. All persons now living in the city of Mobile who desire to change their place of residence for any other locality within the lines of the U. S. armies are at liberty to do so, and the provost-marshal-general will on application furnish the necessary passes. Excepted from this privilege are, however, all persons who, by sentence of court-martial or by order of the other competent authority, have been sent from the North and beyond our lines for misbehavior.

III. The wives, children, or other relatives of officers and men in the rebel army, or any other parties desirous of entering the lines of that army; will be accommodated accordingly. They may register their names at the office of the provost-marshal-general, and as soon as the rebel authorities have designated some point on the river or railroad where such persons can be received the necessary transportation will be furnished by the quartermaster's department.

By order of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

By order of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. H. DYER,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.