You will understand that these are only precautionary suggestions, to be acted on only in case of extreme need or danger. But the authority of the Government and the requirements of the enrollment act must be sustained and carried out. There should be a guard of well armed and determined men in your office every night to defend your records from fire or pillage. If deemed necessary at any time remove your records to a place of safety. They must on no account be left in peril of destruction. I have no doubt that ample safe-guards will be provided before a draft is ordered.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES OAKES,

Acting Assistant Provost-Marshal-General for Illinois.

S.

OFFICE ACTG. ASST. PROV. March General FOR ILLINOIS, Springfield, July 16, 1863.

Captain T. C. J. BAILEY,

Seventeenth U. S. Infantry, and

Actg. Asst. Provost-Marshal-General, Augusta:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to state, for the information of the Provost-Marshal-General's Department, that there are at Portland some six pieces of 6-pounder ordnance, with ammunition and gunners at State arsenal, and some 250 serviceable muskets and rifles there deposited under guard. One company of eighty-two men of State militia have been mustered into service and are constantly on duty there, being fully armed and equipped and furnished with ammunition.

Loyal organizations of a nature somewhat informal, equivalent to 100 infantry, are armed, equipped, and ready for duty in Portland in addition to the foregoing. At Augusta, while there are hundreds of State arms and ammunition thereof, the only reliable force is such convalescent recruits and men awaiting transportation to their regiments as are usually at headquarters, some fifty or seventy-five in number. Damariscotta, Rockland, Bath, Belfast, Castine, Machias, Eastport, Calcis, Wiscasset, Bideford, Kettery, Lewiston, and Norway each have ordnance and gunners and a company of infantry of State militia or its equivalent, with eh requisite arms and ammunition. There re also efficient companies at Ellsworth and Dover. Bangor has two superb companies of some 200 men, armed and equipped and ready for active duty at a moment's warning, with an ambulance of fixed ammunition. There are tow pieces of ordnance at Bangor and two at brewer (opposite the city), with suitable and sufficient ammunition and experienced gunners. Companies of State guards are in rapid progress at Gouldsboroguh, Orland, Bucksport,

Camden, Booth Bay, Brunswick, Paris, York, and other localities. With the arms deposited in our arsenal by regiments discharged for expiration of enlistment, and ammunition in U. S. arsenal at Augusta for ordnance, smooth-bore and rifled, and for muskets and rifles, if they can be had when required

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*Text and signature (here omitted) same as next ante.

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