necessary instructions thereupon. The Secretary of War further directs that your attention be again called to paragraph 451 of the Army Regulations, which indicates the office of the Adjutant-General as the proper channel of your official correspondence with this Department. Should you not be able to communicate with General Canby, in the event of needing instructions as to military operations, you will address yourself to Lieutenant-General Grant through the chief of Staff of the Army.

By order of the Secretary of War:

JAS. A. HARDIE,

Colonel and Inspector-General U. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Saint Louis, Mo., September 12, 1864.

Major O. D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Dept. of the Missouri:

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that, pursuant to instructions from the major-general commanding the department, I went to Alton, Ill., on the 10th instant to inspect the prison and troops stationed there as guards. I found the prison in admirable police, and all the improvements and alterations which were in progress when the general commanding last visited it going on well and rapidly. There is great need of a steam engine to force water for the use of the prison, and I recommend that one be sent there immediately. On the 9th instant a party of forty-six rebel prisoners on their way to work outside the prison attacked their guard, nine men of the Alton Battalion, and succeeded in obtaining some of their muskets. The guard, however, behaved with the utmost promptitude and energy, and the result was the killing of 7, the wounding of 5, and the recapture of all but 2 of the rebels. Much praise is due to the prison inspector, Lieutenant Dyhrenfurth, who will make a full report of this affair. I found the quarters occupied by the four companies of Colonel Lackey's One hundred and forty-fifth Illinois Volunteers in a disgracefully filthy condition, and the men in the quarters were but little better. No officers were present with the men, and it did not appear that any kind of care was given to them. I called upon Colonel Lackey, and upon inquiring as to the reason of this great neglect, he stated that he knew nothing about it; that he supposed the men were getting along well enough, but that he had not been to their quarters since they had been there. He stated that he would appoint an inspector and remedy the evil. I respectfully recommend that Colonel Lackey be dismissed the service for inefficiency and neglect of duty. I find from Colonel Rodgers, who is organizing the Alton guard, that he is progressing well, and will have eight or nine companies by the 17th instant. General Copeland gave me every assistance in my inspection and seemed thoroughly acquainted with matters in his district.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDW. McK. HUDSON,

Inspector-General, Department of the Missouri.

[Indorsement.]

The general commanding regrets to learn from the report of the department inspector the criminal neglect of duty of Colonel Lackey, appointed by the Government to the command of a regiment and sent by the commanding general to Alton as a mark of special confidence in