[Inclosure Numbers 8.]

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO, Numbers 7.
Knoxville, Tenn., January 8, 1864.

Our outposts and pickets posted in isolated places, having in many instances been overpowered and captured by the enemy's troops, disguised, as Federal soldiers, the commanding general is obliged to issue the following order for the protection of his command, and to prevent a continuance of this violation of the rules of warfare:

Corps commanders are hereby directed to cause to be shot dead all the rebel officers and soldiers (wearing the uniform of the U. S. Army) captured within our lines.

By command of Major-General Foster:

HENRY CURTIS, JR.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, January 26, 1864.

His Excellency Governor YATES,

Springfield, Ill.:

Your telegram of the 14th [15th] and also of yesterday are in the hands of Colonel Fry, Provost-Marshal-General, with directions to furnish you the information you desire. Colonel Fry informs me that he has already communicated to you the principal part of the information you wish. I am not aware that there has been at any time any just reason of complaint on your part of delay in answering your inquiries. It sometimes happens that they relate to matters which have to be carefully considered in connection with the information to be acquired at other points before a response can be given, but, except where some special reason prevents an immediate reply, it has always, so far as I am informed, been given either by myself or by the officer in charge of the subject to which your inquiries relate.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, D. C., January 26, 1864.

Governor YATES,

Springfield, Ill.:

Colonel Fry refers to a letter forwarded by him on the 12th of January to Adjutant-General Fuller and a telegram of the 9th of January to General Fuller as his response to the inquiries in your telegraph of the 8th, and has just made the following report to the propositions submitted in your telegram of the 15th:

The veteran regiments returning home for reorganization and furlough, referred to in the telegram from the Governor of Illinois, dated January 14 [15], 1864, are in the service of the United States, and should remain under the control of the U. S. officers, and not be placed under the orders of the Governor. However well this might work in the case of the Governor of Illinois, the principle is wrong, and such a precedent might lead to very troublesome consequences. I have no doubt Colonel Oakes can attend to these regiments in addition to what he is now doing, but if he cannot, I will ask to have additional officers sent to him. I hope the Governor will aid in the recruitment of these regiments, the same as is done under similar circumstances by the Governors of other States.

JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.