HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE NORTHWEST,
Milwaukee, Wis., September 17, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: The inspections of his department by Brigadier-General Ketchum and others, made upon the representations of persons unknown to me, having been completed and their results laid before the War Department, I have the honor to request that copies of the statements or letters on which these inspections were ordered be furnished me. As such statements impugned the truth of my official returns of troops under my command, and as they were considered of authority great enough to justify an inspection of this department, it is but justice to me, now that the inspections have been completed and the untruthfulness of these statements demonstrated, that I should be furnished copies of them and the names of their authors. It is not believed that the War Department will take action implying os insulting a charge against an officer as are these inspections, based upon statements of persons unknown to the officer in question, without furnishing him copies of the statements and the names of his maligners. I confidently believe, therefore, that the War Department will comply with my reasonable request.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,
Memphis, September 18, 1864.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY:

No new developments on the west side of the Mississippi since my last. The report that Shelby had reached Ironton, Mo., was not true. General Forrest, on the 5th instant, went from Grenada to Mobile, but on the 10th he was at Okolona and had planted all his effective cavalry there and was about making a move somewhere, generally thought to the rear of General Sherman. I believe that he intends to go into Middle Tennessee, and have so telegraphed General Grant, General Halleck, and General Sherman. With Smith and Mower gone and 100-days' men gone, and nearly half of my cavalry helping General Steele, I have no power to hold Forrest where he is. Should I hear of Forrest's having withdrawn from the line of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad and gone into Middle Tennessee I will send such cavalry as I can raise to back out of Tennessee. I much regret that I have not now all my cavalry here, for with it I think I could prevent this contemplated raid of Forrest.

C. C. WASHBURN,

Major-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 252.
New Orleans, September 18, 1864.

1. Brigadier General T. J. McKean, U. S. Volunteers, having reported at these headquarters in compliance with paragraph 5, Special Orders, Numbers 131, current series, from the headquarters Military Division of West Mississippi, is assigned to duty as chief of cavalry, Department of the Gulf.