to efficiency, organization, and equipment, stating whether in your opinion any of these regiments should be consolidated or dismounted. The artillery you will reports as to organization and efficiency, and the number and caliber of guns, the condition of men and animals, efficiency of officers, &c., with number and designation of batteries. In supply department you will include quartermaster, commissary, and ordnance departments, giving statements as to their organization, efficiency, probable amount of material on hand for a given-sized army, for a given length of time.

In the transportation department will report fully the amount on hand, giving the condition of animals and wagons, capacity, length, and direction of railroads, and condition and capacity for troops and material in the water transportation. You are directed to see that the equipment of troops is reduced to the minimum, in accordance with orders from War Department, and that the troops are constantly kept in such condition as to be able to move at an hour's warning in any direction, paying particular attention to this subject in all future inspections. The general commanding directs that these instructions be forwarded to you, personally, in order to save time, but a copy will be forwarded to the commanding general of your department. It is desired that you report be forwarded at the earliest possible moment.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN M. WILSON,

Captain of Engineers and A. I. G., Mil. Div. W. Miss.

SAINT LOUIS, June 15, 1864.

(Received 12.30 p. m.)

Major-General HALLECK:

I have ordered cavalry horses purchased at Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Columbus to this point. Three thousand will be forwarded to Arkansas and Mississippi as rapidly as transportation can be furnished. General Hatch and Captain Coryell, assistant quartermaster, are acting efficiency and energetically. Will leave to-night for Cincinnati.

JAS. A. EKIN,

Lieutenant-Colonel.

SAINT LOUIS, MO., June 15, 1864.

COMMANDING OFFICER,

Pilot Knob:

The report that Shelby is at Batesville comes also from Colonel Livingston, who has just left Litle Rock. I guess it is true if so, he will quite probably strike your outposts, and also Pilot Knob, and no doubt has some of the artillery taken from Steele, with which he can do good shooting. You will reduce the stock of stores on hand at both Patterson and Centreville, and will not allow a large stock to accumulate at Pilot Knob; this I give as a general direction for the summer while an incursion in force is probable. You will instruct commanding officers at Patterson and Centreville not to stand a siege if the result should seem very doubtful, and,