It is important that these boats be rendered so far disposable to me that they, or one of them, be occasionally used on small expeditions on the lake or in Mississippi Sound. There have been two occasional during the past week for boats for small but important expeditions, but I have not succeeded in getting the use of a steamer.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. W. SHERMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Organza, La., September 30, 1864.

General GEORGE F. McGINNIS,

Commanding Third Division:

You will detail from your command two detachments, of about 750 men each (one under command of Colonel Dye, Twentieth Iowa Volunteers, and the other of the ranking officer), for the purpose of reconnoitering to Organza's Ferry and Simsport, starting early to-morrow morning. Sufficient camp and garrison equipage to make themselves comfortable, and, except give days' supply of salt beef, ten days' rations will be taken, the troops to forage on the country for fresh beef to make up the full rations of meat. Captain Nields, chief of artillery, has been instructed to detail two sections of artillery to go with the force to Simsport and one section with that going to Organza's Ferry. One hundred cavalry have also been detailed to go with each party. The officers in command of the detachments will be directed by you to report at these headquarters this evening at 6 o'clock for instructions.

By order of Brigadier-General Lawler:

B. WILSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Abstract from tri-monthly report of Corps of Special Scouts, organized by order of Major-General Canby, and commanded by Lieutenant Isaac N. Earl, for the ten days commencing September 20, 1864, and ending September 30, 1864.

On the 24th I took my command on board the steamer Ida May and proceeded down the river as far as Port Hudson, La., where I landed my command and sent the boat to meet me at Baton Rouge. I had several slight skirmishes along the route, but met no large force. I captured 2 prisoners and 4 horses on the way down. Being greatly in need of more arms, and having heard nothing from my requisition filled, I drew, on the 26th, on a requisition approved by General Lee, at Baton Rouge, La., twenty Sharps carbines, twenty-Remington revolvers, twenty light cavalry sabers, and twenty saddles and equipments belonging thereto. I have since received the invoice of forty sets of arms and equipments furnished upon my first requisition. I have not received the arms yet, but they were shipped from New York on the 16th and will probably arrive soon. I left Natchez with my command on the evening of the 27th, and landed on the morning of the 28th just below Grand Gulf, on the Louisiana shore; proceeded about ten miles inland and captured a quantity of hats and some other articles from a wagon on its way into the country. I learned that they had just been obtained at a Mr. James Douglas' plantation, and that he had a quan-