Hoping, my dear sir, that I have made my answer to your telegram sufficiently plain and explicit.

I have the honor to be, very truly, your obedient servant,

J. A. GILMORE.

P. S.-I hope the result of this letter will be to prevent in future a repetition of official conduct similar to that of which I now complain. If persisted in, it will necessarily require a public explanation, which I should regret to make, although fully believing it would meet the entire approbation of all the citizens of our State.

J. A. GILMORE.

P. S.-It affords me great pleasure to inform you that our quota in this district (second) now lacks only about 100 of being filled.

J. A. GILMORE.

CIRCULAR.] WAR DEPT., ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, December 24, 1863.

A law has been passed to the effect that no bounties, except such as are now provided by law, shall be paid to any persons entitled after the 5th of January next. The only bounty provided by law is the $100 authorized by act of Congress, promulgated in General Orders, Numbers 49, series of 1861, from this office.

Bounties will be paid in accordance with existing orders to recruits who enlist before January 5, inclusive, for any three- year organization in service or authorized by the War Department and in process of completion.

Furnish the Governor with a copy of this immediately. Acknowledge receipt.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Sent by telegram to all mustering and disbursing officers.)

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 24, 1863.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: A communication from the War Department, dated November 11, calling for a report of the result of my operations thus far in organizing colored troops, was received at Vicksburg, Miss., on the 2nd instant. I should have replied to it at an earlier date, but owing to the vast extent of country over which the troops of African descent are stationed it required considerable time to visit the representative posts on the Mississippi River and to take the necessary steps to obtain reports from the different commanders showing the exact condition and strength of each regiment or detachment. I am now enabled to report the result of my operations up to the time of my leaving the Southwest on the 17th instant, and submit the following