him away, and the rebels have since then moved him into the interior. If he survives I shall use every exertion to have him exchanged at an early day.

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,
New Orleans, La., December 9, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Mil. Div. of West Miss., New Orleans, La..

SIR: I have the honor to submit to your consideration a statement of the information received at this office this 9th day of December, 1864, from the following source, a report from Benjamin R. Townsend, colonel Second U. S. Colored Infantry, headquarters Cedar Keys, Fla., October 27, 1864:

Rebel troops in South Florida: Captain Ludlow's command, sixty-five infantry, thirty-five mounted. This force is stationed near the coast in the vicinity of Cedar Keys. Of it but sixty men are at present fit for duty. Captain Rowe's command (100 infantry) stationed on the railroad between Cedar Keys and Gainesville; Lieutenant J. B. Deel, with twenty men, guards the lower end of the road near Cedar Keys. Under sergeants, scouting in Taylor County and reporting at Gainesville, fifty infantry. A force of rebel cow-drivers, under Captain James McRay, is on duty in the country below the Withlacoochee River, with headquarters at Brooksville. Captain Lesley's party near Brooksville, 80 infantry; Captain Sloane's party near Cork, 35 infantry; Captain Hendry's party near Alafia and Peace Creek, 100 infantry; total, 215 infantry.

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

FRANK W. MARSTON,

Major and Chief Signal Officer, Mil. Div. of West Mississippi.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 81.
New Orleans, La., December 9, 1864.

Subject to the approval of the President of the United States, Major J. B. Cook, Third U. S. Colored Cavalry, is hereby promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy of that regiment, to date from the 27th of November, 1864, in consideration of the gallantry displayed by him on that day, when, with his men dismounted, and having nothing but railroad ties for a path, he charged over the Big Black bridge, near Canton, Miss., in the face of a heavy fire, drove off the rebel force stationed on the opposite shore behind a strong stockade, and destroyed the bridge, by which the main line of the rebels General Hood's communication with his depots in South Mississippi and Alabama were effectually cut off. The major-general commanding the Districts of West Tennessee and Vicksburg styles this affair as "one of the most daring and heroic acts of the war."

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

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.