WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, August 17, 1865-12. 30 p. m.

Major-General CANBY,

New Orleans:

This department is informed that an expedition is on foot in New Orleans to go to the Tortugas, and by surprise or stratagem seize that place and release the prisoners there. Immediately on receiving this telegram please send a special messenger to notify the commanders at Key West and Tortugas to take strict measures to guard against any stratagem or surprise and secure the safety of their commands. You will also use every effort to detect the parties engaged in the conspiracy and to defeat their object. You will also please notify the naval commander and request his co-operation. Acknowledge the receipt of this telegram.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
Camp Irwin, Tex., August 17, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel E. D. SWAIN,

Commanding Forty-second Illinois Infantry:

In compliance with orders from headquarters Central District of Texas to send one regiment from this division to garrison the post of Lavaca, the general commanding directs that You proceed without Your regiment either this p. m. or to-morrow morning to Port Lavaca and relieve the Twenty-eighth Regiment U. S. Colored Troops, now occupying that place. On Your arrival at Lavaca, You will also relive the detachment of 125 men from this division now on duty at that post, except such men as are members of Your regiment, and direct the officer in charge to rejoin the division without delay. All reports, returns, &c., of Your regiment will for the present bd made through brigade and division headquarters, as heretofore. Captain E. J. Smith, assistant quartermaster, has been directed to furnish You transportation enough to move Your command. You will notify him whether You will leave to-night or in the morning.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, Your obedient servant,

JAMES A. SPENCE,

Major and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., August 17, 1865.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of a letter addressed by the Governor of Wisconsin to the Secretary of War, repeating and urging his request for the discharge of Wisconsin regiments. The reasons he gives are alike applicable to all volunteer troops in the service, and I might go still further and say that there is so much dissatisfaction, not to say insubordination, among all the volunteer regiments serving in this department as greatly to impair their efficiency. One-fifth the number of subordinate and willing troops would do the same service now performed by volunteer regiments in