received from Doctor Morris, president of telegraph company, upon a matter of some importance to the department. I will thank you to send me a copy of a dispatch from General Kemper to General Breckinridge on yesterday, in regard to the reserves and detailed men. I received a dispatch this morning from General Kemper, in which he refers to the one to General B., which I do not exactly understand, either from the mistake of the operator from some other cause. If convenient, please send it by return mail.

I am, major, very respectfully, &c.,

JNO. ECHOLS,

Brigadier-General.

[Inclosure No. 1.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, October 8, 1864.

Major CLOYD:

DEAR SIR: I write to inform you again that if there is not something done, and that soon, to prevent the destruction of the Government cattle in this and Major Kent's neighborhood, there will be none left for Government use. The deserters and their families are now using from three to four cattle a week, besides sheep and hogs in considerable numbers; abut 100 deserters from the east are now passing every week, and they are fed by the people along the creek. I had hoped that the families of these men would have been sent thorough the lines before this. A number of them started back to the Yankees, but learning that their families would not be sent through, have returned and say they will have to lay i their supplies here. A number of them could be taken now, as they are just recovering from small pox; there are still a number of cases in some half dozen families back of Major Kent's, with a prospect of its spreading over the whole country. Our county authorities will do nothing to prevent it. I have written this that you may show it to the general in command of the department, with the request that he will do something to free us from deserters and small-pox. There is a small-pox hospital at Montgomery White Sulphur Springs, with nurses and guards for same; if they were ordered to come out and take charge of the cases, it would save us from much suffering this fall.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. H. OTEY.

[Inclosure No. 2.]

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. W. VA., AND E. TENN., No. 14.
Dublin, September 23, 1864.

Frequent applications being made by persons for permits to pass through the lines of the C. S. Army into the lines of the enemy, and it being desirable for many reasons in many cases to grant such applications, it is ordered that notice be given to all persons still desiring such permits at once to make application to these headquarters, stating the name, age, and sex of the applicant, and the description and value of the property desired to be taken out. All persons to who permits may be granted will have to present themselves in the town of Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, Va., on the 14th day of October next. Satisfactory evidence as to age and value of property, by affidavits of disinterested parties, will be required from all applicants.

By order of Brigadier-General Echols:

J. L. SANDFORD,

Assistant Adjutant-General, &c.