failure to keep full ranks; and, secondly, that of the peremptory draft which, when thoroughly adopted and rigidly adhered to, is the best; but if we cannot have this the first will answer our purpose. The same reasons why these men should not be taken from the plantations here are equally applicable to northern farms; yet, as the season is nearly over, these objections lose their force. And I request that regimental commanders may be authorized and directed to at once, under the direction of the commanding general of division or post, proceed to recruit and enlist any and all able-bodied men that may offer their services, and for this purpose they send officers with detachments of men, and with permission to have for their own regiment all they may so acquire not to exceed the maximum allowed by law. As strange as it may appear, I have never yet been able to obtain permission to recruit for my regiment, and if I had it long since could have acquired and maintained the maximum number; but when I had a few more than the prescribed allowance, they were taken away, which destroyed all inducement to effort. It has long since been demonstrated that one set of regimental officers will not recruit for another. Only in case of a general system like the present, some little may be done, but nothing to be compared with what officers of regiments will do for themselves. The disinclination of planters to have recruiting parties come upon their plantations has probably influenced the adoption of the present system more than any one thing; but as I have in Illinois often gone to the houses, farms, and workshops of citizens and solicited not their slaves, but their sons, to go out in defense of their country, it is to be presumed we could be safely trusted with this duty here.

Very respectfully,

H. N. FRISBIE,

Colonel, Commanding.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK., October 24, 1864.

Major General J. J. REYNOLDS,

Devall's Bluff:

I am delighted to hear of your arrival. I will send to the depot for you on the arrival of the train. In a dispatch from General Canby your name was omitted by accident, I suppose. There were other omissions which rendered the dispatch unintelligible, or at least a part of it.

F. STEELE,

Major-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DISTRICT OF LITTLE ROCK, Numbers 100.
Little Rock, Ark., October 24, 1864.

* * * * * *

II. The Twenty-seventh Wisconsin Infantry, Colonel C. Krez commanding, is assigned to duty as guard at the station and bridges west from Brownsville on the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad, relieving the Twenty-second Wisconsin Infantry. The balance of the Twenty-seventh Wisconsin Infantry not required for guard as above indicated will encamp at Huntersville and be subject to the orders of Colonel E. Englemann, commanding post of Little Rock, who is also placed in charge of the above-mentioned stations and bridges.