WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

January 17, 1865.

His Excellency the GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS,

Springfield, Ill.:

By direction of the Secretary of War you are authorized to raise five new regiments of infantry in addition to the number authorized by telegram of 15th instant, thus making ten in all. The recruitment, organization, musters, and completion of said regiments to be governed by the regulations prescribed in telegram of 15th.

THOMAS M. VINCENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. STATE OF MISSOURI, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Saint Louis, January 17, 1865.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: Applications are being made to this office to allow the men who enlisted for six months under General Orders, Numbers 134, from headquarters Department of the Missouri, dated July 28, 1864, to re-enlist for six months and be considered twelve- months" men, dating from their first enlistment, allowing them bounty and giving the State credit for them as twelve-months" men. The term of service of the six-months" men organized under the above order will expire during the next three months. They did good service in this State during the recent invasion by General Price. Four of the regiments are now in the army of General Thomas, in Tennessee.

I respectfully ask that an order be made permitting them to re- enlist for six months longer, giving them bounty and crediting the State with them from the date of their first enlistment.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAMUEL P. SIMPSON,

Adjutant-General.

LOUISVILLE, KY., January 18, 1865.

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

There are in East and Middle Tennessee twelve regiments of colored troops, and one detachment of the Forty-fourth, captured at Dalton, numbering before the battle of Nashville about 10,000 men. Of this number a regiment of heavy artillery is at Knoxville, 1,800 strong; four regiments of infantry at Chattanooga, numbering 2,800. I have authorized recruiting in North Carolina from East Tennessee if it can be done with safety to the recruiting parties, or they can have ample escorts. It is supposed that a number of able-bodied men can thus be obtained. I leave this afternoon for Paducah and Cairo, where I fear some irregularities have recently taken place in recruiting. They do not result from my orders for recruiting in Illinois, for they are very carefully worded, and were sanctioned by Major-General Hooker from Cairo. I will descend the Mississippi, as my presence is necessary at several places.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.