NEW ORLEANS, LA., September 17, 1864-4.30 p. m.

(Received 26th.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

General Steele has now been re-enforced by about 16,000 men. This will secure the line of the Arkansas against any infantry that Kirby Smith can send against it, and enable him to carry out fully his instructions to follow the rebels if they attempt the invasion of Missouri. He reports that he will follow them as long as he can get anything for his men to eat. I have advised him that A. J. Smith has also been ordered to operate against Price, and that he has received his instructions from you. He has been directed to keep Smith advised as far as possible of his own movements and of those of the enemy. General Washburn wishes a part of his force returned, and conditional instructions to that effect have been given. They will not be sent back, however, if they are still needed in Arkansas.

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 131.
New Orleans, La., September 17, 1864.

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5. Brigadier General T. J. McKean, U. S. Volunteers, having reported at these headquarters in compliance with paragraph 24, Special Orders, Numbers 274 current series, War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, will report to Major-General Banks, commanding Department of the Gulf, for assignment to duty.

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By order of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

B. F. MOREY,
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 131.
New Orleans, September 17, 1864.

In order to provide some means of promoting the general health of the troops at Brazos Santiago and other posts within the department, and in order to insure the proper use of such remedies and preventives as are now supplied for this purpose, it is ordered that boards be established at each post where scurvy exists, to consist of the post commander, post surgeon, and one other officer, whose duty it shall be to see that rations of desiccated potatoes and mixed vegetables are issued and used a proper portion of the time, in lieu of rice, beans, peas, or hominy, in accordance with existing orders upon the subject, and also to see that they are properly cooked and issued to the men. It shall be the duty of these boards to make frequent inspections of the kitchens or messes, with a view to the above, and to make weekly reports to the medical director of the department upon the result of their investigations and efforts. In addition to the boards thus provided for, others will be appointed from these headquarters, co consist of a medical officer and a commissary of subsistence, to visit such posts as may be deemed advisable to inspect the provisioning and cooking of each company, also to instruct and supervise for at least three days the prepara-