commanding desires that these lists be prepared with great care and judgment, as they are designed to be used in selecting officer for any force which may hereafter be called out in the service of the country.

By command of Major General John Given:

EDWARD MOALE,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

LYNCHBURG, May 26, 1865.

Brigadier General N. M. CURTIS,

Chief of Staff:

It is of the utmost importance to the General Government that the cotton and tobacco manufactures of this city should resume operations at once in order to relieve the distress amongst the laboring class, both black and white. Manufacturers do not understand the revenue laws; hence are fearful of commencing operations which may prove unprofitable. There are large quantities of tobacco in this city and the country, the manufacture of which would afford employment to hundreds of persons for whom the Government will have to provide. The labor question is the difficult one to solve, and nothing would remove the difficulty so rapidly as the demand for labor. If the factories of this city were in operation all the labor would be absorbed and the planters would see the absolute necessity of offering inducements to their former slaves to remain and cultivate the soil. Now they only see they have more labor than they require and maine the supply can never be exhausted. Copes of all orders and laws affecting the subject of trade should be forwarded to me at once. The people of this district evince so great a desire to renew their allegiance in good faith to the General Government, and to promote the interest of the freedman, that it is but just to them that every facility and full information should be afforded them.

J. I. GREGG,

Brevet Brigadier-General, &c.

CITY POINT, May 26, 1865.

Major-General HALLECK:

There are two of General Sheridan's batteries here, both in condition to march. They move to-morrow morning with General Wright's artillery.

J. B. CARR,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,
May 26, 1865.

Brevet Major-General EMORY,

Cumberland, Md.:

Major-General Hancock desires the Twenty-fifth New York Cavalry relieved from duty along the railroad, and ordered to report to Brevet Major-General Torbert, at Winchester.

C. H. MORGAN,

Brigadier-General, &c.