Lieutenant-Colonel Mullins, of the Fortieth Kentucky Mounted Infantry (in the absence of Colonel True), furnished all the mounted men he could spare from his command (about 100) to go with enrolling officers into Morgan County. They went on the expedition with great glee, but were bushwhacked from the time they entered the county till they returned. They succeeded in enrolling several precincts, but the enrolling officer lost his papers. He says he went to a house near the encampment for the purpose of arranging his papers at night, when John T. Williams, a notorious guerrilla of Morgan Couny, came in upon him, and he threw the papers into the fire to avoid suspicion. The captain of the company became convinced that his force was not sufficient,and being fearful [of] being surrounded and captured he determined to return. Upon the return two companies of Indianians were found at the Olympian Springs. An effort was made to get their assistance, but they refused, stating that they had enough of Morgan County; that they had themselves been driven from there but a few days before by bushwhackers.

The expedition returned without accomplishing anything toward the purpose they were sent out-with a few men slightly wounded and the loss of several horses killed. They killed three rebels, one said to be a major in the rebel service, a Mr. Conner, formerly a clerk of Bath County court; also brought out sixteen prisoners.

The Fortieth Kentucky Mounted Infantry is a new regiment recruited principally in this part of the State. They were stationed at Grayson and will reach there about to-morrow, where they expect to obtain their horses, and will be ready for immediate active duty. My deputy, J. Warren Smith, who has had experience in Pike, Floyd, and other rebel counties, will take a message to them requesting a sufficient force be sent to awe the rebellious county into submission.

I do not know who is to command the post at Mount Sterling, whether Colonel True or some other person. If you approve of the course, I hope you will also call upon them to render the necessary assistance. There is a force of Ohioans near Flemingsburg that might be made useful.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. C. GRIER,

Captain and Provost-Marshal.

WAR DEPT., PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., October 20, 1863.

Major J. W. T. GARDINER,

U. S. Army,

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

MAJOR: The Provost-Marshal-General directs me to say that by the term "old organizations" in his orders for raising is to be understood those troops whose periods of service expire in 1864 or 1865. It is, however, the earnest desire of the Government to secure first recruits for the regiments whose time will expire in 1864; and while recruits for those whose terms expire in 1865 will be received and paid under the plan now in force, the Provost-Marshal-General desires that you do all you can to encourage the first enlistments for the first-mentioned organizations. Please call upon the State authorities, explain this, and request that they co-operate with you to this end.