accompanied by written charges and specifications, and such statements as to facts and evidence as may be necessary for trial by court-martial, military commission, or provost court, with names and residence of witnesses. Provost-marshals and all keepers of prisons or places of confinement subject to military authority are forbidden, on pain of penalty attached to disobedience of orders, from receiving prisoners not accompanied with charges and specifications as above, except in cases where it is shown that compliance with this order was impracticable or impossible. In such cases the names of the officers or persons bringing prisoners to places of confinement will be taken by the keeper, who will forward them to the provost-marshal of the parish of Orleans, who will see that proper charges are made and the prisoners brought to trial without unnecessary delay.

By command of Major-General Banks:

GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 247.
New Orleans, September 13, 1864.

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2. Batteries A, B, and F, [First] Missouri Light Artillery, will be temporarily formed into two batteries by transferring the officers and enlisted men of Battery B to Batteries A and F, in such proportions as will make their numbers equal. To carry out this order the consolidation of Batteries A and F, authorized by paragraph 10, of Special Orders 206, from these headquarters, will be broken up. Captain J. T. Foster, acting chief of artillery, is charged with the execution of this order.

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19. Colonel Charles Hamilton, One hundred and tenth New York Volunteers, is hereby assigned to the command of the District of Key West and Tortugas until such time as the assignment of a general officer can be made or until further orders.

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By command of Major-General Banks:

C. S. SARGENT,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

NEW ORLEANS, September 13, 1864.

Brigadier General M. K. LAWLER,

Commanding:

The major-general commanding directs that one of the strongest regiments of your command be held in readiness to embark at a moment's notice for Natchez, in case that place should be so seriously threatened as to induce General Brayman to call on you for assistance. Please send an officer to Natchez by first opportunity to notify General Brayman to this effect. He will deliver to him a copy of the following dispatch, which has been sent to General Dana at Vicksburg this afternoon:

I will hold troops in readiness to re-enforce Natchez, if necessary. General Brayman should not attempt to hold the town if threatened by a heavy force, but concen-