unless they have a marked preference for special projectiles, all should be of one system, either Hotchkiss or Schenkl. He believes Schenkl to be best and safest in every respect.

4. The object of the latitude given to battery commanders is to make them responsible for the efficiency of their batteries. Ammunition to which men and officers are most accustomed is the best to supply them. There is an evil, however, in using two kinds of the same description in the same battery or in the same army corps, or even in the same army, but with two systems which have such strong supporters as the Schenkl and Hotchkiss, it can hardly be avoided without a worse evil.

5. There has been no authority of a general character given to depart from the book of tactics in the packing of light 12-pounder ammunition. Permission will, however, be given to increase the number of canister at the expense of shrapnel. The full number of solid shot, 12, and of shell, 4, must be carried. The shrapnel may be reduced to 8, and added either to the canister or shell or both. The use of solid shot is too much neglected. It is the most efficient of our projectiles. He would not object if the allowance were increased to 16 rounds. It was intended that a part of the spherical case should be used as solid shot. The proportion laid down in the tactics is, he believes, the best. If any change should be made it should be made it should be to increase the number of solid shot. On no account will a less number be allowed than that prescribed, and the chief of artillery desires that you would impress on battery commanders the importance and superior value of solid-shot fire in almost all cases.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. N. CRAIG,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 489.
Washington, November 3, 1863.

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18. Brigadier General Solomon Meredith, U. S. Volunteers, will at once return to the Army of the Potomac, and report in person to Major-General Meade, U. S. Volunteers, for duty.

* * * * *

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Numbers 18.
Clarksburg, W. Va., November 3, 1863.

The following officers are announced as assigned to staff duty at these headquarters:

Captain Thayer Melvin, assistant adjutant-general.

Colonel D. H. Strother, Third [West] Virginia Cavalry, acting assistant inspector-general.

Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Frothingham, additional aide-de-camp, U. S. Army, commissary of musters.

Captain Robert Adams, jr., Twenty-third Illinois Infantry, acting judge-advocate.