transferred from the Fourth Division, twentieth Army Corps, to the Third Brigade, First Division, Twentieth Army Corps, and will repair without delay to the front and report for duty with its brigade. The quartermaster's department will furnish the necessary transportation.

By command of Major-General Thomas:

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[38.]

MAYOR'S OFFICE, Jackson, Miss., July 5, 1864.

COMMANDER OF THE U. S. FORCES ADVANCING ON JACKSON:

SIR: At the request of the citizens of this place I address you this communication. Three times already, during the progress of the war, this place has been subjected to the miseries and desolation incident to military occupation by a large army. A great deal of private property has been destroyed, a large part of the town has been burnt, and many of the citizens have been compelled to remove. In behalf of those that remain at home I bespeak that usage customary in civilized warfare, to wit, protection to women and security to private property. As most of the injuries heretofore sustained have occurred on the first avance of the troops into the place, I ask that you will send in a guard before your troops enter the city. By so doing you will relieve the anxiety of our citizens, particularly the women and children, upon whom the fortune of war has already borne so heavily.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. N. BARROWS,

Mayor.

[39.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, july 12, 1864.

Brigadier General J. HOLT,

Judge-Advocate-General U. S. Army, washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: The Secretary of War directs me to request you to proceed at the earliest practicable moment to the State of Kentucky and have a personal conference with His Excellency Governor Bramlette and Major-General Burbridge in relation to military and political affairs in that State, and also the administration of military justice. The particular object of your mission will be to make yourself acquainted with the facts in regard to secred and open organizations against the Government, intended to afford aid and comfort to the enemy, and to ascertain the operations of disaffected and disloyal persons in Kentucky, acting in conjunction with persons of similar disposition in other States. You are a ware that information has reached the Department from various quarters fro some time that such organizations exist in the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri, having for their objectthe embarrassment of the Government in its military operations, and possibly to incite armed opposition and rebellion. Another subject to which your attention is directed is the execution of the laws in regard to the enlistment of colored recruits in the State of Kentucky, and to any secret or open hostility manifested by disloyal persons against such enlistements. You will ascertain the extent to which such opposition goes and the manner of its operations, and then consider in your conference with Governor Bramlette or General Burbridge, one or both of them,