prices to land salt and other prohibited articles at waypoints along the river.  This, too, in time will be checked.  All seems well here and hereabout; no large body of the enemy within striking distance.  A force of about two thousand, cavalry passed through Grand Junction north last Friday, and fell on a detachment of the Bolivar army at Middleburg, the result of which is doubtless reported to you.  As soon as I heard of the movement, I dispatched a force to the southeast by way of diversion, and am satisfied that the enemy’s infantry and artillery fell back in consequence behind the Tallahatchie.  The weather is very hot, country very dry, and dust as bad as possible.  I hold my two divisions ready, with their original complement of transportation, for field service.  Of course all things most now depend on events in front of Washington and in Kentucky.  The gunboat Eastport and four transports loaded with prisoners of war destined for Vicksburg have been lying before Memphis for two days, but are now steaming up to resume their voyage.  Our fort progresses well, but our guns are not yet mounted.  The engineers are now shaping the banquette to receive platforms.  I expect Captain Prime from Corinth in two or three days.

I am, with great respect, yours,

W. T. Sherman, Major-General commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTH DIVISION MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, September 21, 1862

Editor Bulletin.

Sir:  Your comments on the recent orders of Generals Halleck and McClellan afford the occasion appropriate for me to make public the fact that there is a law of Congress, as old as our Government itself, but reenacted on the 10th of April, 1806, and in force ever since.  That law reads: 

“All officers and soldiers are to behave themselves orderly in quarters and on the march; and whoever shall commit any waste or spoil, either in walks of trees, parks, warrens, fish-ponds, houses and gardens, cornfields, inclosures or meadows, or shall maliciously destroy any property whatever belonging to the inhabitants of the United States, unless by order of the commander-in-chief of the armies of said United States, shall (besides such penalties as they are liable to by law) be punished according to the nature and degree of the offense, by the judgment of a general or regimental court-martial.”

Such is the law of Congress; and the orders of the commander-in-chief are, that officers or soldiers convicted of straggling and pillaging shall be punished with death.  These orders have not come to me officially, but I have seen them in newspapers, and am satisfied that they express the determination of the commander-in-chief.  Straggling and pillaging have ever been great military crimes; and every officer and soldier in my command knows what stress I have laid upon them, and that, so far as in my power lies, I will punish them to the full extent of the law and orders.