GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPARTMENT., ADJT. GEN'S OFFICE, Numbers 14, Washington, January 6, 1864.

By direction of the President of the United States Major General F. Steele, U. S. Volunteers is placed in command of the Department of Akansas, which will consist of the State of Arkansas, except Fort Smith. The troops of Major-General Steele's command will constitute the Seventh Army Corps, and will be subject to the orders of Major General U. S. Grant.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

IN FIELD NEAR HUGHTON [?], TENN.,

January 6, 1864.

Major-General SCHOFIELD:

The Twenty-fifth Missouri will be in Columbus, Ky., on the 9th. What disposition do you wish made of it? Can I keep the Third Indiana Battery, or do you wish it returned to Saint Louis? Please telegraph me at Columbus, Ky.

A. J. SMITH,

Brigadier-General.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO., January 6, 1864.

General FISK,

Commanding:

Our boys mustered out a rebel named Whiteson, one of the swamp thieves, and have killed Hildebrand. He was shot about two weeks ago and died early in this week. He is sure enough dead. No news from Gentry. He crossed into Arkansas after William's guerrillas, who were at Scatterville. Hope he may find them. He has 80 men with him and 40 guarding the ford. Very cold. Thirteen teamsters frozen on our forage train.

J. B. ROGERS,

Colonel.

HDQRS. FIRST CAVALRY, MISSOURI STATE MILITIA,
Warrensburg, Mo., January 6, 1864.

General E. B. GROWN,

Commanding Central District of Missouri:

GENERAL: I have the honor to state that your communication of the 4th instant, in reply to mine of the 29th ultimo in relation to quartering the troops, has been received. I regret that I was unfortunate in making myself misunderstood. I did not intend to convey the idea that there was dissatisfaction among the men with orders to go into camp, but simply to suggest reasons why it had not been done and should be deferred, such as preparations to meet an anticipated raid, the extremely cold weather; and in the statement, "to change them now will create discontent, and probably injure the recruiting service, " I had reference to the veteran recruiting service, which at the time was regarded as important and pressing, because limited to the 5th instant. I entertained the opinion that to change them then,