charged under the second paragraph of Special Orders, Numbers 304, dated Headquarters of the Army, Washington, November 12, 1861, and whose names are not included in the lists furnished to the chief of the pay department, in compliance with instructions from the Secretary of War, dated November 25, 1861, will refer their claims for payments to the Adjutant-General, at Washington, the commanding general of this department not being authorized to act upon such claims.

By order of Major-General Halleck:

J. C. KELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, December 10, 1861.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Commanding Department of Missouri:

GENERAL: Yours of the 6th has this moment reached me. I am obliged to you for the spirit of frankness in which it is written. Let me begin by replying to the last part of your letter.

You will probably remember that soon after General Hunter assumed command of the department he ordered two divisions from Western Missouir to Saint Louis, regarding them as available for other service. My dispatch was predicated on that, and if you had informed me that you had any available troops I intended to propose to you a movement in concert with Buell. His project, though very importamnt, must either be deferred or be carried out in some other way. I have no intention of stripping you of troops when you cannot spare them. I to-day directed General Thomas to telegraph to you that Major Ketchum might remain with you and that I would recommend his as a brigadier-general. I had already determined to try to secure his appointment. I do not understand your statement that four or five of the regular officers you now have are ordered away, but will look into it in the morning. There is some mistake about it, unless you allude to the paroled officers, who cannot under their parole be of any service to you. You are also misinformed as to the number of regular officers on my personal staff. I have two regular aides, instead of the authorized number of three, and one chief of staff; the others apparently are my personal staff, and are really doing their appropriate duties in the line and their respective corps. Even my personal aides are on duty constantly as inspectors.

I am sorry to learn the very disorganized condition of the troops. I appreciate the difficulty of the taks before you, and you may rest assured that I will support you to the full extent of my ability. Do not hesitate to use force with the refractory. Can you yet form any idea of the time necessary to prepare an expedition against Columbus or one up the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, in connectin with Buell's movements? I shall send troops to Hunter, to enable him to move into the Indian Territory west of Arkansas and upon Northern Texas. That movement should relieve you very materially. It will require some little time to prepare Hunter, but when he moves you might act in concert with him.

In haste, very truly, yours,

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding U. S. Army.