actively employed since the 5th of August, 1864. It is now commanded by First Lieutenant William F. Warren, Signal Corps, U. S. Army, and consists of three officers and fourteen enlisted men. The principal stations are at Forts Gaines and Morgan and on the flag-ship Hartford. Constant and uninterrupted communication is had by signals between these points at night and day. Besides the regular duty of the officer at these stations, their services have been required on several combined land and naval expeditions up the bay, when communication was had at all times between the land and naval forces engaged, by signals, rockets being used when the nature of the country precluded signaling with torches or flags. The total number of official messages transmitted by the officers of this detachment during the months of September and October was 274, or an average of nearly five official messages a day.

The officers and enlisted men on duty at the signal camp of instruction have been thoroughly instructed, practiced, and drilled in their respective duties. I am enabled to state, by the energy of the commanding officer, Captain J. B. Ludwick, Signal Corps, U. S. Army, that the camp is in a thoroughly policed condition; that the discipline is good and the proficiency of the officers recently detailed for service in the corps, in their new duties, and of the enlisted men in their flag drills and saber exercises, is very marked and the improvement greatly beyond my expectations. There are at present on duty in this camp awaiting orders for the field ten commissioned officers and seventy-nine enlisted men. The duty of collecting information of the enemy's movements, strength, &c., has devolved upon me. Lieutenant A. J. Jackson, Signal Corps, U. S. Army, has rendered me valuable assistance in this duty and in reducing to the form of reports the information derived from scouts sent from this office. These duties are at all times of a delicate and responsible nature and are rendered doubly so by the conflicting testimony of many sources.

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

FRANK W. MARSTON,

Major, Signal Corps, U. S. Army.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS CHIEF OF CAVALRY,
MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 22.
New Orleans, La., November 11, 1864.

1. Colonel O. P. Gooding, Thirty-first Massachusetts Infantry Volunteers, is hereby relieved from duty with the Cavalry Division at Baton Rouge, La., and will report in person without delay to Brigadier General B. S. Roberts, chief of cavalry, Department of the Gulf, for assignment to such duty as he may directed.

* * * * *

3. The detachment Sixth Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, Captain E. M. Morris commanding, assigned to duty with the canvas bridge train by Special Orders, Numbers 17, current series, from this office, is hereby relieved from such duty, and will be reported by its commanding officer to Brigadier General B. S. Roberts, chief of cavalry, Department of the Gulf, for duty without delay.

By order of Brigadier General J. W. Davidson:

A. S. MONTGOMERY,
Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.