600 cavalry; previous estimate in the report of July 11, 2,500. The same informant reports Forrest about to join Scott at Clinton, La., to renew the expedition. It is not unlikely that Scott has returned to Clinton, as this [is] the third report of the kind on his return. The other statements of this informant are unreasonable. Mobile: Two deserters from the Seventh Alabama Cavalry report two batteries, a Missouri and a Louisiana battery, in Mobile, not estimated. The Fifteenth Confederate Cavalry not estimated. The City militia not known. In Fort Morgan four companies of the First Alabama Artillery, 400 men. General Pigot [?], commanding two companies of Tennesseans, has also been before reported in Fort Morgan, besides the companies of the Twenty-first Alabama Infantry are guarding salt-works at Bonsecours Bay. One company Alabama cavalry at Camp Withers, twenty-five miles from Fort Morgan, near the beach; one company at Camp Powell, five companies at the Fifteen-Mile House on Pensacola railroad; two companies on the railroad between Pollard and Mobile; nine companies of the Seventh Alabama in all on duty near Mobile.

ALBERT J. MYER,

Colonel and Signal Officer of the Army.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 21.
New Orleans, La., July 18, 1864.

I. The major-general commanding directs that the attention of all commanders be called to the misconstructions that has been placed on War Department General Orders, Numbers 177, 1864, and General Orders, Numbers 5 1/2, from these headquarters.

II. It is ascertained that while a large part of the cavalry from this division is insufficient from the want of horses, many horses suitable for cavalry or artillery purposes are in the possession of the quartermaster's department and used for transportation purposes with trains, ambulances, or carriages, and to mount orderlies and messengers, or for the use of officers who are not, under the law or regulations, entitled to the use of public horses.

III. Commanders of districts and departments will cause a critical muster and inspection to be made of all public horses in the military service, selecting all that are suitable for cavalry and artillery, and reporting those of each class to the respective chiefs of cavalry and artillery for distribution.

IV. Cavalry organizations will not be weakened by the detail of orderlies for infantry commands. In all such cases the commander of the division, brigade, or regiment, will select the prescribed number of the division, brigade, or regiment, will select the prescribed number of the division, brigade, or regiment, will select the prescribed number of orderlies from his own command, and the number required to be mounted will be furnished by the quartermaster's department with horses that are too light for cavalry or artillery purposes. The same rule will apply to wagon and forage masters, messengers, and other agents of the quartermaster's department, whose duties require them to be mounted.

V. The attention of all commanding officers is called to the various uses to which the ambulances are put. These carriages are provided by the Government for the transportation of the sick and wounded only, and under no circumstances must put to any other use. Inspectors-general are specially directed to report immediately to the inspector-general at these headquarters, through the proper channel,