WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, May 5, 1864.

Major-General HEINTZELMAN,

Columbus, Ohio:

Of the first regiment of militia raised in Indiana send five to Nashville, Tenn., subject to orders of Major-General Thomas, and five to Louisville, subject to orders of General Schofield. Of first ten regiments raised in Illinois send five to Memphis and five to Columbus, Ky., subject to orders of General McPherson. Telegraph to these officers as regiments are sent.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and City of Staff.

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

Washington, D. C., May 5, 1864.

His Excellency Governor AUSTIN BLAIR,

Detroit, Mich.:

Do you think it advisable to proceed to draft in the deficient subdistrict of your State, so that all of them shall thus be made to fill the quotas heretofore assigned? Please answer by telegraph.

I repeat this dispatch as I was unable to see Governor Blair in Washington.

JAMES S. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

DETROIT, MICH., May 5, 1864.

Colonel J. B. FRY:

Governor Blair has not returned to Michigan. Your dispatch of this date will be presented immediately on his arrival.

F. MORLEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, May 5, 1864.

His Excellency JOHN BROUGH,

Governor of Ohio, Columbus:

After mature consideration of your suggestion i regard to the draft, it seems to me impossible for the Department to conform to your wishes, for the following among other reasons:

First. Any change in the terms agreed upon between the Governors and the President in one instance would form certain occasion for an infinite number of changes that would be applied for by others, and would lead either to great discontent at their being refused or to serious injury to the service by adopting them.

Second. The terms of the arrangement were called for by the Committee on Finance, and form the basis of their recommendation for the appropriation. In their view and in the view of General Grant it was deemed an indispensable condition that the special volunteers should in nowise interfere with the operation of the law for drafting. A charge now made in the particular you mention would be changed immediately as a breach of faith on the part of the Executive with Congress, and might lead to very serious complication.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.