field, March 23, 1864, the Sixty-second Regiment U. S. Infantry (colored) was sent March 25, 1864, to report to Brigadier General P. St. George Cooke, at Baton Rouge, to demolish certain portions of the works there, and then to be ordered back to Port Hudson. I respectfully request that they be so ordered.

General Andrews informs me that he has recently written several communications respecting the telegraph line. I shall be glad to receive instructions on the subject.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

DANIEL ULLMANN,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

HDQRS. DETACHMENT SEVENTH ARMY CORPS,
Little Rock, Ark., April 22, 1864.

Major General F. STEELE,

Commanding Department, in the Field:

It is very disagreeable for me to appear to be a grumbler; it is not my nature to complain without a cause. I am inclined, too much so, probably, to submit to personal indignities, and especially so in military matters, rather than cause difficulties, but I hope, general, you will see the reasonableness of my protestation in matters already referred to you, and that you will bear with me in what I am now to say.

By your General Orders, Numbers 14, I was placed in command of all the troops along and north of the line of the Arkansas River. I deemed this [sufficient] to carry with [it] the customary authority vested in military commanders, but, general I find that, in fact, I am without authority except to order details when requested by your assistant adjutant-general, and to send out scouting parties. I have no control over the police of the country within the limits of my command. I am informed that, by instructions given to the assistant adjutant-general, he is empowered to countermand my orders, and this he does. The provost-marshal-general, by the same authority, assumes to have complete control over the local police and the prisons, and in some cases even the instructing of my guards, without permitting me to know what those instructions were. I am completely ingonred.

I have deemed it necessary for the good of the service to issue orders in certain cases, and am ordered to revoke them, and, being ignorant of the instructions claimed by the assistant adjutant-general and the provost-marshal-general to have been given them, I am made to appear in conflict with your wishes. When I ask for information, that I may not act contrary to your orders, I get none, but am informed that the instructions are entirely confidential. Now, general, my personal feelings are as nothing compared with the interests of the Government, but this is humiliating. It implies a want of confidence in my patriotism, honesty, and ability. Your provost-marshal-general has said to a field officer in this command that could you have had three hours more in Little Rock you wold have sent me out of [the] department.

I entered the service to be of use, and have served three years, and believe I can show as clean a record as any officer in the service. I all this time have nor received a word of censure from my superiors, nor complaint of my conduct, nor direct or implied doubt of