must enforce from unwilling minds. Notwithstanding 12,000 votes were given, a civil government erected on advanced principles, and which, if it had been sustained by the hearty co-operation of military authorities here, would have been a complete success, but the military are confined to a few posts.

The rebels take the country, and now the Union element are leaving at the average of 100 per day, broken-hearted and hopeless, whilst the rebels are enjoying security from both sides, and enjoying the property of the refugees, favored and petted by Federal commanders, the representatives of Your Excellency. These things are hard to bear. You will excuse me; I write from feeling.

True Union families are dying around this place, whilst bitter rebels are living luxuriously and basking in the favor of Federal power and occupying places of profit and trust.

I perhaps write with too much feeling, but I have just heard of a family dying of starvation within our lines, and I have no power to help the suffering. I have not the means to support my own family a day, only as friends furnish.

Will you forgive me?

ISAAC MURPHY,

Governor of Arkansas.

CIRCULAR
WAR DEPT., ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 50.
Washington, June 30, 1864.

Civil employes in the various military offices and departments in Washington, who claim a residence and liability to draft elsewhere than in the District of Columbia, will immediately produce evidence of such residence and liability to the proper enrolling officers of the District of Columbia, and take steps to have their names stricken from their enrollment lists, in order that the quota of the District may be fixed upon a proper basis.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS,

June 30, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

This case of difficulty has arisen in this command: Regiments which by hard fighting have been reduced below the minimum, and who have in one case, for example, 760 men and only 12 officers, are now, by orders from the War Department, Nos. 86 and 182, of the series of 1863, deprived of having officers, duly commissioned, mustered in where there is the most urgent necessity for them. I wish some relaxation of that order, as it may be difficult to make a general order covering the case. Would it not be well to submit to the discretion of department and corps commanders, when serving independently, to muster in officers, duly commissioned, in regiments below the minimum organization, when by death or otherwise so many vacancies exist that the services of the officers are needed?

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.