assault must also be made by posting men with muskets so as to fire over the tops of traverses, bombproof, or magazines.

By command of Major-General Halleck:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. OF THE ARMY, ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 52.
Washington, February 2, 1864.

1. Brigadier General Julius White, U. S. Volunteers, will proceed without delay to Springfield, Ill., and relieve Brigadier General J. M. Corse, U. S. Volunteers, in command of the depot for drafted men at that place.

* * * * * * *

By command of Major-General Halleck:

E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., February 2, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: In reply to your communications of the 29th ultimo and 1st instant I have the honor to report that the quantity of clothing now on hand, exclusive of that already distributed to the provost-marshals, the draft rendezvous, and to the depots of the armies in the field, is, with the exception of a few items, sufficient for the equipment of 200,000 men either white or colored, the uniform being the same for both. For those items of equipment which are partially deficient contracts are already made and in process of fulfillment, which, it is presumed, will enable the Quartermaster's Department to meet with promptness any immediate demands within the above-mentioned limits that may be made upon it.

In reply to the question as to the number of men this department will be prepared to clothe in three months from this date, the Secretary of War is respectfully informed that the officers in charge of the purchasing depots at New York, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati are acting under instructions from this office under date of March last to the effect that they each endeavor to accumulate as a reserve stock, in addition to the current wants of the service, a supply of clothing sufficient for the immediate equipment of 100,000 men; and in October last, in view of the President's call for 300,000 men, this number was increased for the New York and Philadelphia depots to 150,000 men each. From the stock thus provided there has been since the date of the call (19th October) issued to the provost-marshals and local quartermasters, especially for the new levies, a supply of clothing sufficient to equip a little more than 100,000 men, which, together with what had already been distributed and was remaining in the hands of those officers, has been sufficient to clothe from 150,000 to 200,000 men. Under the existing arrangements, as above stated, it is believed, if the supply in the market, which is said to be short of kerseys, shall equal the demand, that the department will be able to provide in due time the balance of clothing - say for 150,000 men - that will be required to furnish the additional 200,000 called into service by the President's order for a draft the 1st instant.