ignored him. General Logan, a fighting man, who believes in the Monroe doctrine, has been accredited as Minister to the Republic of Mexico, and is reported to have said he would like to go with an escort of 20,000 men. This action of our Government is very significant, taken as it is at a time when the Liberals have been thoroughly defeated, five of their generals shot, and Juarez left with but the shadow of a Government. The Mexican question somewhat complicates our relations with France, for, although it is understood that the French Emperor intends to withdraw his troops, Mr. Seward has jogged his memory by sending him word that the presence of the French troops is regarded with disfavor. It is said also that the French Minister at Washington has protested against the appointment of General Logan. The controversy with England also gathers consistency. The demands of Mr. Adams have been clear and categorical, and seem to have the support of our Government. Recent disturbances in Canada, and the consequent movement of our troops, have added to the trouble. The simple facts are these: An English lieutenant of marines crossed the border into Maine, with his company, to arrest some deserters; whereupon the entire company, finding themselves in the United States, refused to obey his orders, and deserted en masse, The United States authorities refused to give them up. The next thing that was known was that portions of Hancock's Corps had been ordered to Maine. It is said that they were only sent to relieve certain companies which were to be mustered out; but our opinion is that they ought to be sent as an act of simple precaution, and that troops should at once be concentrated along the Canadian border. As if we have not already enough to complicate us with England, the rebel Captain Worrell, who has been depredating upon our commerce months after he knew of the downfall of the rebellion, has taken the Shenandoah into a British port and delivered her up. Of course our honor demands that we should have not only the vessel, but also the officers and men. Will England give them up? The "nation of shopkeepers" will think twice before plunging into a war with us, for the shopkeeping interests will greatly suffer. Indeed, the power of England has already culminated, and the next great war in which she engages will ruin her utterly. The Fenians are upon her. The alliance of France is a Punic faith. Russia still dreams of the Mediterranean, and the policy of England is to back down rather than to fight. We are quite ready; the Government, it is said, has stopped the sales of war material; and England must meet our just demands, or we will pay ourselves. "SIEGE OF MORRIS ISLAND." [We gladly give place to the following letter from our old friend, General Barry, the best authority, perhaps, on siege and field artillery, in the country:] Editor of United States Service Magazine: ARTILLERY HEAD-QUARTERS, MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI ST. LOUIS, November 7, 1865. } SIR-In a paper in the November number of the UNITED STATES SERVICE MAGAZINE, entitled "Siege of Morris Island," there are to be found the following statements, viz.: On page 398: "Seven of these batteries * * * mounting the following guns, viz.: one 300pounder, six 200-pounders, nine 100-pounders, two 84-pounders, two 30-pounders, four 20-pounders, all Parrott's except two guns, and all of them rifled. Never before had such weight of metal been directed against any fortress in one attack since the art of war began. Those who have not engaged in such operations can have only a faint idea of the labor and fatigue attending the construction of the batteries and the mounting of the guns. The 300-pounder gave great trouble before it was got into position. It was transported more than one mile and a half from the dock, through deep sand and across semi-marsh, overflowed by the tide." And on page 406: * * * "Here was first developed the power of modern long-range guns. This was the first operation, in modern times, on land, where guns of a heavier calibre than the 100-pounder were used to any extent. It introduced the 200 and 300pounder, never before used in siege operations." These statements contain errors so material, and evince such forgetfulness of other artillery operations of our own arms, that I am compelled to ask the favor of a small space in your pages to correct them. In making this attempt I will not go back to so remote a period as "when the art of war began," but will confine myself simply to a single instance in "modern times." During the siege of Yorktown, April 5th to May 5th, 1862, the following-named pieces of ordnance comprise a portion only of the artillery used, viz. two 200-pounders, eleven 100-pounders, thirteen 30-pounders, twenty-one 20-pounders, ten 44-inch rifles, ten 13-inch sea-coast mortars, and six 10-inch sea-coast mortars. From this list are excluded all guns not placed in battery against the main fort, or "enceinte" of Yorktown. The four classes of guns first named in this list were all Parrott's; the 200 and 100-pounders were most effectively used at ranges varying from four thousand eight hundred and forty yards to five thousand seven hundred and twenty yards. It was at Yorktown-more than one year before "the siege of Morris Island"-that "was developed the power of modern long-range guns," and the entire practicability, for siege purposes, as well as the wonderful accuracy and power at great distances, of the heaviest guns of Parrott's system. The "weight of metal" of those guns only which are named in the above list is nearly three times as great as is that of those enumerated in the article on "The Siege of Morris Island." The siege artillery at Yorktown had to be moved, mostly by hand, a distance of three miles, over ground composed of a thin crust of clay, overlying an apparently bottomless bed of quicksand, and during three weeks of almost constant rain. Any artilleryman who has handled a 13-inch sea-coast mortar under such circumstances, or indeed, under any circumstances, readily appreciates the difference between it and a long gun of 200, or even of 300-pounder calibre. I quite agree with the writer of "The Siege of Morris Island" in the statement that "the operations against the defences of Charleston were, in many respects, one of the most wonderful in military annals." I am even prepared to give my admiration still greater bounds, for I consider that, in some respects, the artillery portion of these operations was decidedly the most wonderful of any that history makes record of. They are certainly too brilliant to render necessary any attempt to increase their lustre by the disparagement of the operations of our own artillery elsewhere. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WILLIAM F. BARRY, Lieutenant-Colonel First United States Artillery, Brevet Major-General Volunteers. I. Commanding Generals of Military Departments and Districts will be allowed the following staff officers, and no others: Generals Commanding Military Departments. One Assistant Adjutant-General. One Assistant Inspector-General. One Chief Quartermaster. One Chief Commissary of Subsistence. One Medical Director. One Judge Advocate. Two Aides-de-Camp, to be selected from officers of their commands. Generals Commanding Districts. Two Aides-de-Camp, to be selected from officers of their commands. II. General officers without military command are not allowed Aides-de-Camp or other staff officers. III. All officers serving on the staff of General Officers not included in the above allowance will be immediately relieved from such duty. The officers of the regular and volunteer regiments so relieved will be ordered to join their regiments without delay, and the staff officers of volunteers will be ordered to their homes to report thence by letter to the Adjutant-General for instructions. By order of the Secretary of War: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. Changes in Departments. [General Orders, No. 142.] WAR DEPARTMENT, } I. The Department of Mississippi is hereby transferred from the Military Division of the Gulf to the Military Division of the Tennessee. The Department Commander will report to Major-General G. H. Thomas accordingly. II. The Territory of New Mexico is hereby transferred from the Department of California to the Department of the Missouri. By order of the President of the United States: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. [General Orders, No. 143.] WAR DEPARTMENT, I. The Head-quarters, Department of the Missouri, is transferred to St. Louis, Missouri. II. Major-General Frederick Steele, U. S. Volunteers, is assigned to the command of the Department of the Columbia, and will proceed without delay to Fort Vancouver. By order of the President of the United States: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. Assignment of Artillery. [General Orders, No. 144.] WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, October 9, 1865. I. The regiments of Regular Artillery, except the Mounted Batteries of each, will be distributed, as follows: Third U. S. Artillery. Fort Sullivan, Eastport, Maine, one company. Fort Preble, Portland, Maine, one company. Fort Constitution, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, one company. Fort Warren, Boston, Massachusetts, Head-quarters, and three companies. Fort Independence, Boston, Massachusetts, one company. Fort Adams, Newport, Rhode Island, three companies. The six dismounted companies now in the Department of Washington will be sent, without delay, to report to Major-General Hooker, commanding Department of the East, for assignment to Forts Sullivan, Preble, Constitution, and Warren. The Head-quarters of the Regiment will be forth with transferred to Fort Warren. First U. S. Artillery. Fort Trumbull, New London, Connecticut, one company. Fort Schuyler, New York, three companies. Fort Lafayette, New York Harbor, one company. Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, two companies. Fort Richmond and Batteries Hudson and Morton, New York Harbor, two companies. Sandy Hook, New Jersey, one company. The five dismounted companies now in the Department of Washington, one company in the Department of Virginia, and one in the Middle Department, will immediately be put en route for New York city, to report to Major-General Hooker, commanding Department of the East, who will assign them to Forts Trumbull, Schuyler, Hamilton, Richmond, and Sandy Hook. The Head-quarters of the regiment will be transferred to Fort Hamilton. Fourth U. S. Artillery. Fort Delaware, Delaware, two companies. Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland, two companies. Fort Washington, Maryland, Head-quarters, and one company. Fort Foote, Maryland, one company. City of Washington, D. C., four companies. Companies "K," in the Department of Washington, and "L," in the Department of Virginia, will be sent, without delay, to Fort Delaware. Companies "I,” in the Department of Georgia, and "M," in the Department of Tennessee, will be immediately put en route, without horses or batteries, for Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland. Fifth U. S. Artillery. Fort Monroe, Old Point Comfort, Virginia, Head-quarters, and four companies. Fort Taylor, Key West, Florida, two companies. Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas, Florida, four companies. The Head-quarters, one company in the Department of Virginia, one in the Middle Department one in the Department of the East, and one of the companies now in the Department of Washington, will immediately be put put en route for Fort Monroe, Virginia. The remaining four dismounted companies, now in Washington, will be sent, without delay, under command of Brevet BrigadierGeneral B. H. Hill, Lieutenant-Colonel, 5th Artillery, to garrison Fort Jefferson, Tortugas. The two companies of the regiment in the Departments of Tennessee and South Carolina will be put en route, without delay, for Fort Taylor, Key West. The Second U. S. Artillery has been assigned to the Division of the Pacific. II. The Second U. S. Cavalry will be immediately put en route to report to Major-General Sherman, commanding the Division of the Mississippi, for assignment. The Sixth U. S. Cavalry, without horses or equipments, will be sent, via New York, to New Orleans, to report for orders to Major-General Sheridan, commanding Division of the Gulf. III. The Fourth Regiment, U. S. Infantry, has been assigned to posts as follows: Fort Brady, Sault St. Marie, Michigan, two companies. Fort Wayne, Detroit, Michigan, Head-quarters and two companies. Fort Niagara, New York, one company. Madison Barracks, Sackett's Harbor, New York, two companies. Fort Ontario, Oswego, New York, one company. Rouse's Point, New York, two companies. Special orders have been already given for the movement of this regiment. IV. The Third Regiment, Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, at Fort Monroe, Virginia, and the 161st Regiment, New York Volunteers, at Fort Jefferson, Florida, will be mustered out of service as soon as relieved by the Fifth U. S. Artillery. V. All Volunteer Cavalry east of the Mississippi River will be forthwith mustered out of service. VI. All sea-coast forts south of Fort Monroe, Virginia, except Forts Taylor and Jefferson, Floriday, will be garrisoned by colored troops. The requisite number of regiments having been selected for this purpose by Department Commanders, all other colored troops will be mustered out of service as fast as they can be dispensed with. Department Commanders will report to the Adjutant-General, by telegraph, the number of colored troops required, but not already in their commands, or the surplus number not required, to carry out this order, that particular instructions may be given accordingly for the transfer or inuster out of regiments. By command of Lieutenant-General Grant: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant-Adjutant General. Martial Law in Kentucky. [General Orders, No. 149.] WAR DEPARTMENT, By the President of the United States of America: A PROCLAMATION. } WHEREAS, by a proclamation of the fifth day of July, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, the President of the United States, when the civil war was flagrant |