who will be furnished with money or Treasury notes to pay current disbursements for the organization of the regiments.

This dispatch is written on the authority of the Secretary of War and the Quartermaster-General.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

July 30, 1861

Honorable B. F. WADE and

Honorable JOHN HUTCHINS,

Washington, D. C;

GENTLEMEN; You are hereby authorized and empowered to furnish a regiment of cavalry and a battery of artillery for the service of the United States, in accordance with general orders relating to organizing and officering volunteer regiments and the regulation for the formation of batteries of artillery, provided they will be ready for marching orders in twenty-one days. This acceptance is with the distinct understand that this Department will revoke the commissions of all officers who may be found incompetent for the proper discharge of their duties. Adjutant- General Thomas, at Washington, should be promptly advised of the date at which the men will be ready for mustering, and he will detail an officer for that purpose, who will be instructed to muster by companies.

By order of the Secretary of War:

JAS. LESLEY, JR.,

Chief Clerk War Department.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Numbers 12.
Washington, July 30, 1861.

Searches of houses for arms, traitors, or spies, and arrests of offenders in such matters shall only be made in any department by the special authority of the commander thereof, except in extreme cases, admitting of no delay.

By order of Lieutenant-General Scott:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, July 30, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM PITT FESSENDEN,

U. S. Senate:

SIR: Your letter of the 26th instant inclosing one from the Governor of Maine in relation to repairs of certain forts, was referred to the Colonel of Engineers who makes the following report, viz:

We shall want more money for contingencies of fortifications, though I do not think there is need at present of a special approportion for repairs of Fort McClary, in Portsmouth Harbor, or of Forts Preble and Scammel, in Portland Harbor. These works have long been ready for all the guns intended for them. I am not able to say that slight repairs are not necessary to secure their efficiency as batteries, but they must be quite slight. More probably will be needed for repairs in the quarters and barracks. If I can recall from the field an officer of engineers to direct, I can speedily have all done that is required. But I take this opportunity to say that such large