HEADQUARTERS SAINT LOUIS DISTRICT,
Saint Louis, Mo., August 31, 1864.

Major O. D. GREENE, Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I respectfully recommend that one of the four batteries Second Missouri Artillery now here be ordered to Pilot Knob, to report to Major James Wilson, commanding Third Sub-District of this district. There are seven guns in Fort Davidson now, four of which are 32-pounders and so unwieldy as to be practically of little value. The other three are 24-pounder howitzers, also unnecessarily heavy for the range, which nowhere exceeds three-quarters of a mile. It is desirable to have the battery there to secure the garrison in case an enemy should come on it in greatly superior numbers; and also in case the troops there are required to move to support Rolla or Cape Girardeau to accompany them. I think the three batteries left here will be abundantly sufficient as a reserve for the department.

THOMAS EWING, JR.,

Brigadier-General.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., August 31, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Colonel N. Cole, chief of artillery, Department of the Missouri.

By order of Major-General Rosecrans:

J. F. BENNETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Second indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, OFFICE CHIEF OF ARTILLERY,
Saint Louis, Mo., September 1, 1864.

Respectfully returned to Major O. D. Greene, assistant adjutant-general, Department of the Missouri.

The four batteries of artillery held in reserve in this city for organization and drill, are, in my opinion, more centrally located for the defense of either Rolla or Cape Girardeau while stationed here than if at Pilot Knob, as they can readily be sent to either point in twelve or eighteen hours, while a battery stationed at Pilot Knob would take at least forty-eight hours to re-enforce either place by land. There is a section of mountain howitzers in both the Sub-Districts of Pilot Knob and Cape Girardeau, well equipped and manned, which is certainly sufficient for scouting purposes. In case of necessity a battery can be sent from here to Pilot Knob in eight or ten hours.

N. COLE,

Colonel and Chief of Artillery, Department of the Missouri.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS SAINT LOUIS DISTRICT, Numbers 180.
Saint Louis, Mo., August 31, 1864.

* * * *

IV. The Tenth Enrolled Missouri Militia, Colonel Hildebrand commanding, is relieved from active duty and will report to Brigadier-General Pike, commanding First Military District, Enrolled Missouri Militia.

* * * *

By order of Brigadier General Thomas Ewing, jr.:

H. HANNAHS,
Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.