service, with officers uneducated in the profession. Their arms were not in good order, mostly dirty and rusty. The colonel (Sanford), although reported not to be alarmingly ill, has taken advantage of a slight sickness to abandon a regiment of cowards, one-third of whom are sick and some dying daily, to go North on a week's leave with the consciousness that it would be impossible for him to be back at its expiration. The time of the regiment expires in four weeks from the day of inspection. They had one two-mule ambulance and one horse. The assistant surgeon had a public horse which I ordered him to return to the quartermaster.

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. J. T. DANA,

Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, New Orleans, La., August 22, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded.

The attention of Major-General Canby has been called to all irregularities and Marine Brigade disbanded.

JOHN M. WILSON,
Captain and Assistant Inspector-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE, Memphis, Tenn., August 15, 1864.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Division of West Mississippi:

I inclose copy of an order* of General Howard, ordering the troops belonging to the Seventeenth Corps to be sent to him, also letter+ on same subject. As the troops are at Saint Charles, on White River, of course i cannot comply with the order. I have this movement received the following form General A. J. Smith, dated at Holly Spring this p. m.:

Forrest, with a portion of his force, is at Oxford. Some troops are at Pontotoc. Buford is advancing from Okolona with two divisions. His objective point not yet determined.

C. C. WASHBURN,

Major-General.

UNOFFICIAL.] HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,

Saint Louis, Mo., August 15, 1864.

Major-General CANBY:

GENERAL: I avail of General Totten to write some details of matters which do not appear in the official orders and records. The excitement of the first outbreak of the guerrillas and the O. A. K's has died away and the condition of the department is disturbed. Bushwhacking goes on in the north and central parts to a considerable extent, receiving additional life and animation from the hope of rebel raids, which,

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*See Vol. XXXIX, Part II, p. 230.

+See Vol. XXXIX, Part II, p. 260

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