men to serve it as mechanics and laborers, but also ready and competent to serve it also as soldiers, or at least quasi soldiers, when the occasion calls for it? One thing is certain: it would give us a better and more subordinate class of men, and the army everywhere would move in al its branches as a united whole, harmonious and military throughout, instead of being clogged by an indiscriminate mass of nondescript camp followers, between whom and the soldier there is a ceaseless antagonism. Annexed hereto marked I you will please find a tabulated report of the present effective strength of the command. I have given the names of only the field and staff officers, as the other officers as yet are being changed, as occasion requires, and would respectfully request for these at least suitable commissions. You will observe the total force thus armed and quipped foots up 7,010 men as infantry, besides two companies of cavalry and one section of artillery. In addition to this the subsistence department here, following my example, has a force enrolled of about 600 men, and the medical department a force of perhaps as many more. The ordnance and engineer departments, I presume, could raise quite as many more, though as yet they have taken no steps in this direction.

In conclusion I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. L. DONALDSON,

Colonel and Chief Quartermaster, Dept. of the Cumberland.

[Inclosures.]

A.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Two Run Creek, Ga., May 20, 1864.

Colonel J. L. DONALDSON,

Senior and Supervising Quartermaster, Nashville, Tenn.:

COLONEL: The major-general commanding directs that you organize and arm the employes in your department for the defense of the city of Nashville.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SOUTHARD HOFFMAN,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

B.

GENERAL ORDERS,
SENIOR AND SUPERVISING Q. M.'s OFFICE,
DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Numbers 17.
Nashville, Tenn., May 17, 1864.

To insure full protection to public property stored here and to aid in the better defense of this city in cases of emergency should it become necessary, it is hereby ordered:

1. That officers of the quartermaster's department at this depot take immediate steps to organize their employes into a military force.

2. The basis of this organization shall be all able-bodied employes of the department, whether white or black, between the ages of sixteen and sixty. By "able-bodied" is meant not merely those fit for ordinary service int the field, but also all others able to perform such light military duty as this order contemplates.

3. All such employes will be formed into companies of not over 100 each, colored employes to be organized by themselves. Each company will be officered by a captain, a first lieutenant, and a second lieutenant, and the usual number of non-commissioned officers provided in the