ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, December 11, 1861.

His Excellency Governor E. FAIRBANKS,

Montpelier, Vt.:

It is desired that the cavalry regiment from Vermont should come here as soon as ready. Please so order.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 107.
Washington, December 12, 1861.

The following orders are issued by direction of the Secretary of War:

I. All claims to be brought before the investigating committee now in session at Saint Louis to examine accounts against the United States Government for expenditures in the Military Department of the west previous to October 14, 1861, must be presented to the said committee on or before the 1st day of January, 1862, or they will not be considered.

II. The Subsistence Department will purchase, at cost prices, all sound articles of subsistence saved by troops or employes by an economical use or management of the ration. All other sales of provisions issued by the Government, to any persons whomsoever, are strictly forbidden. This regulation is intended to embrace savings from bakeries and in hospitals, as well as all other savings from the army ration. See in this connection General Orders, Numbers 82, of September 23, 1861.*

By command of Major-General McClellan:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS COAST DIVISION,
Numbers 7 Bowling Green, New York, December 12, 1861.

General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I have he honor to state that I have secured all the vessels necessary for the transportation of troops, baggage, camp equipage, baggage wagons, ordnance stores, subsistence stores, armament, ammunition, quartermaster's stores, horses, &c., necessary to fulfill the conditions of the increase in size of my expedition, as directed by the general. Up to the time of my last visit to Washington all my transportation had been obtained by purchase. Since, the increase has been made by the purchase of two steamers and chartering the remainder through the Government agent, John Tucker.

I beg to inclose a list of armed vessels, + five of which are floating batteries of about two feet draft; seven sailing vessels of eight to nine and one-half feet draft, and twelve propellers of from five and one-half to seven feet draft. I have as a towboat for the five floating batteries a powerful propeller of two feet draft. The floating batteries are divided into six water-tight compartments and re so arranged that parapets of sand-bags or bales of hay can be arranged on their decks, each battery carrying four guns. I have besides these, belonging to the Government, one large steamer of seven feet draft, capable of carrying in

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*Page 531.

+Omitted.

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