HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF Vicksburg,
Vicksburg, Miss., August 19, 1864.

Major General O. O. HOWARD,

Commanding Army and Department of the Tennessee:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that I arrived here yesterday and assumed command of this district, pursuant to Special Orders, Numbers 90, August 7, 1864, headquarters Military DIVISION of WEST Mississippi, a copy of which is herewith inclosed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. J. T. DANA,

Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 90.
New Orleans, La., August 7, 1864.

* * * * * * *

II. In accordance with orders received from the headquarters of the army, Major General H. W. Slocum, U. S. Volunteers, is hereby relieved from the command of the District of Vicksburg, and will, as soon as his successor has assumed command, report in person to Major General W. T. Sherman, commanding the Military DIVISION of the Mississippi.

III. Major General N. J. T. Dana, U. S. Volunteers, is hereby assigned to the command of the District of Vicksburg.

By command of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, U. S. COLORED TROOPS,

Vicksburg, Miss., August 19, 1864.

Brigadier General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, New Orleans, La.:

GENERAL: I would beg to present the following for your consideration: It appears from General Canby's order for consolidating certain of the negro regiments, that it is desired to make regiments of maximum strength. I would much prefer small regiments. To take care of the regiments, small as they now are, is a heavy duty on the company commanders. They can have no clerk, and all the writing of the company must be done by the officers. Many of them have no orderly sergeants, and have to call rolls and the like. Making the companies larger would not increase their labor proportionally, still it would make quite an increase, and my notion is that they have as much now on their hands and more than can be properly attended to. All colored regiments should be small, or failing in this, one more lieutenant should be added to the company. Besides this, the men we have require more unceasing instruction than white soldiers, and have to be looked after more carefully. I do not think, under the present circumstances, that any colored regiment should number over 700 men.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN P. HAWKINS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.