assigned to command of such forces as Grant may send. He will order an additional force from his own corps, and expects to reach New York to-morrow morning, to confer with and report to you.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE EAST, No. 85. New York City, November 2, 1864.

In pursuance of the intimation contained in department General Orders, No. 80, you are hereby instructed to make such arrangements within your respective districts, as may be practicable, for the detection of persons coming into the department for the purpose of voting who have deserted from the service of the United States, or who have fled to evade the draft. All such persons will be promptly arrested and sent to these headquarters. For this purpose, detectives should be employed two or three days before the election, and the aid of the inspectors is solicited in furnishing any information which may be obtained at the polls, and which may lead to the detection of the guilty parties. Through this information and that obtained by detectives and challengers, it is believed that those who have the hardihood to attempt to add to their other crimes that of fraudulent voting may be brought to punishment.

No military force will be embodied at or in the vicinity of any of the polls, and there must be no interference in any manner with the exercise of the right of suffrage, or with those who are charged with the performance of any duty connected with the election in any of the States in this department under their constitutions and laws. But if the civil authorities should call on you to aid them in keeping the peace, you are authorized and required to do so, acting in strict subordination to them.

After the election the greatest vigilance will be exercised in regard to persons crossing the frontier into Canada; and if in any case there is good reason to believe that they belong to any of the classes above enumerated they will be detained and promptly reported to these headquarters for instructions.

By command of Major-General Dix:

D. T. VAN BUREN,

Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

To provost-marshals and their deputies in the several States in this department.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, November 2, 1864.

Major-General BUTLER:

GENERAL: You will please proceed immediately to New York and report to Major-General Dix for temporary duty in the Department of the East, and for assignment to the command of the troops in the harbor and city of New York that may be forwarded by General Grant's orders.

By orders of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.