SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY OF THE OHIO, Numbers 40.
October 6, 1863.

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14. Brigadier-General Manson is hereby directed to order the Eleventh and Twenty-seventh Regiments Kentucky Mounted Infantry to report to Brigadier-General Shackelford for assignment to the Cavalry Division, Twenty-third Army Corps and the Thirty-fourth Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry to report to Colonel Hokins, commanding brigade at Morristown, Tenn. The quatermaster's department will furnish the necessary transportation by railroad for the Thirty-fourth Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry to Morristown, Tenn.

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By command of Major-General Burnside:

R. H. I. GODDARD,
[30.] Captain and Aide-de-Camp, Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

QUATERMASTER'S DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF GENERAL SUPT. OF TRANSPORTATION,

Saint Louis, October 6, 1863.

General M. C. MEIGS,

Quatermaster-General, Washington City:

GENERAL: The detailed information of the business of this office reguired by General Orders, Numbers 13, will be found in the report of Captain Charles Parsons, assistant quatermaster, who has had the principal charge of transportation at this post, and to which I beg leave to refer. What I may say will more particularly relate to that portion of your order requesting "any suggestions for improvements in the personnel or administration of the quatermaster's department". Having for nearly two years been in general charge of river and railroad transportation, I will briefly note the result of my observations an experience, much of which I have already presented in my report to you on the subject of railroad and steam-boat transportation in June last. The subject of transportation in the conduct of war has always been one of primary importance. The application of steam to land and water transportation has perhaps as much modified the conduct of war as it has the pursuits of peace, and should, through its ability for more rapid concentration of troops and supplies at distant points, give greater vigor to a campaign and vast advantage to the party having superiority in this respect. Not only has the word never seen such vast armies so suddenly and so easily created, but never has it witnessed such rapidity in the transit of armies such long distances, with their vast numitions and supplies. It si now practicable, on twenty-four hour's notice, to embark within a day, at Boston or Baltimore, a larger army than that with which Napoleon won his most decisive victories, and land it in three days at Cairo, 1,200 miles distant, there to embark on transports in another day, and within four days' longer time, to land it at New Orleans, or the Balize, 1,000 miles farther, or 2,200 miles from the point of departure. Movements similar to this have actually been made during this war. An army of 40,000 men was, by the energy of that most vigorous commander, Major-General Sherman, rapidly gathered by forced marches from the interior, embarked on transport within twenty-four after its arrival, moved rapidly 400 miles by water, landed a desperate battle for two days,