issue, by command of the lieutenant-general, such orders as will secure the carrying out of the instructions he has received or may receive. The orders he is hereby, or by his instructions, authorized to issue may be directed to Major-General Rosecrans, or to the officer or officers in immediate command of the troops affected by them. Upon the execution of said instructions, General Rawlins will rejoin these headquarters.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:

T. S. BOWERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

U. S. FLAGSHIP HARTFORD,

Mobile Bay, October 29, 1864.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Mil. Div., Dept. of West Miss., New Orleans:

GENERAL: In the course of catechising two men who deserted from Mobile, machinists working in the ordnance department, one of them, who appeared to be an intelligent man and not overwhelming to say more than he could well avoid, in reply to my question, what had become of Generals Gardner and Higgins, said it was understood in Mobile that their business was to erect batteries at suitable points on the Mississippi River to interrupt commerce. I remarked, "You mean to help the army across the river," "Yes, sir; that is also a part of their work." I learn by Commodore Palmer's letter that you no longer feel under any apprehension, as there is a sufficient number of gun-boats up the river. I think the commodore will always be able to send one or two, in case of necessity. The sickness has cramped him a little by killing off our engineers. I hope the fever is over, however. I inclose you one of your New Orleans papers, which appears to me to be a pretty strong rebel paper. It supports to be the organ of the French-American population. No doubt it is, and its sympathies are pretty manifest. I am watching with great anxiety the movements of your army up the river. One of our officers just escaped from Texas came down te Red River and informs me that the reels are fortifying its banks very strongly.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. G. FARRAGUT,

Rear-Admiral.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 372.
Washington, October 29, 1864.

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19. So much of Special Orders, Numbers 154, October 11, 1864, from headquarters Military Division of West Mississippi, as revokes the order for the enlistment of Texas refugees to form a regiment of cavalry is hereby confirmed, and all officers who have been mustered into the service on recruiting commissions are hereby mustered out in conformity therewith. The muskets-out will be respectively of the date of the muster-in.

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37. Bvt. Brigadier General William Hoffman, U. S. Army, will proceed to New Orleans, La., for the purpose of conferring with Major-General