[Indorsement.]

OCTOBER 25, 1862.

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War.

A. LINCOLN.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., October 23, 1862.

His Excellency Governor CURTIN,

Harrisburg, Pa.:

Orders have been sent to Captain Lane to confer with you in reference to sending officers to Chambersburg, Gettysburg, and York. If officers are not prompt and efficient in furnishing supplies you are authorized to do so in the manner prescribed in General Orders, Numbers 121, by appointing some one to discharge the duties of mustering officer con.

By order of the Secretary of War:

C. P. BUCKINGHAM,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 167.
Washington, October 24, 1862.

Every commanding officer of a detachment, company, regiment, or post who has any arms in his possession, or under his control, for which he is accountable, shall, within ten days after the reception of this order at the camp or post at which he may be stationed, or, if on the march, within twenty days after it has been communicated to him from the headquarters to which he reports, make an inventory, stating--

1. The number of arms for which he is accountable, giving the name or names of the arms.

2. The caliber of the arms.

3. Whether they are smooth or rifled.

4. How many are serviceable and how many require repairs.

5. How many of the arms are in use, and at what place or places those not in use are kept, and what is their condition.

6. The date at which this order was communicated to him.

Such inventory will be signed by the officer making it with his full name, title, and post-office address, and the transmitted without delay by mail to Brigadier General James W. Ripley, chief of ordnance, Washington, D. C., with a letter of advice.

Commanding officers of armies, corps, divisions, brigades, regiments, and posts are required to see that this order is enforced in their respective commands and to report to the Adjutant-General whether it has been complied with, stating the names of all officers who fail or neglect to comply with it within the time specified.

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

DAVENPORT, IOWA, October 24, 1862-10.10 p. m.

(Received 2.35 a. m. 25th.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

All our new regiments thus far have gone into Missouri. Our people are interested in opening the Mississippi River. Can"t the balance