desire to congratulate you and your command on a series of achievements which put us in possession of the bay, and until the integrity of the Union is fully, vindicated and established closes all ocean communication with the city of Mobile. I desire that the congratulations which are hereby tendered to yourself, your officers, and men, may be extended to the army who have so cordially co-operated with you.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. G. FARRAGUT,

Rear-Admiral.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,

New Orleans, September 26, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a report from a scout.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. R. HERBERT,

Second Lieutenant, Signal Corps, U. S. Army.

[Inclosure.]

MOUTH OF WHITE RIVER, September 15, 1864.

Major FRANK W. MARSTON:

SIR: On the 28th of Augusta Generals Polignac and Walker left Harrisonburg and moved in the direction of Monroe, La. Colonel Harrison is the only one there now. He has got only 250 men, with some sick, belonging to those other brigades. The cavalry also have moved in the same direction. This news I received from Lieutenant W. F. Vermilya, of the Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry. He has just made his escape from Marshall, Tex., and came by Harrisonburg to Natchez. This news is correct.

BERNARD NORTON,

South.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 140.
New Orleans, La., September 26, 1864.

I. Captain J. G. Telford, assistant adjutant-general of volunteers, having reported at these headquarters, in compliance with paragraph I, Special Orders, Numbers 301, current series, War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, will report to the commanding general Department of the Gulf for assignment to duty with Brigadier-General Sherman, commanding Defenses of New Orleans.

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

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

HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS,

New Orleans, September 26, 1864.

Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Gulf:

The instructions from your headquarters require the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry to proceed to Baton Rouge by squadrons as fast as they can be