Dona Ana. The Rio Grande is unusually high, and has added greatly to our embarrassments in supplying the troops at Fort Craig. I hope, however, to accumulate a sufficient quantity of supplies at that place to enable me to resume active operations by the 1st of next month. Two companies of mounted Colorado Volunteers reached Fort Union on the 8th instant. I am now making arrangements to reduce and consolidate the New Mexico Volunteers, and expect, by the discharge of incompetent officers and inefficient men, to have one serviceable regiment.

Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Colonel Nineteenth Infantry, Commanding Department.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO, Santa Fe, N. Mex., May 12, 1862.

The ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF THE ARMY,
Washington, D. C.:

SIR: I have the honor to report that before the receipt of the regulations published in General Orders No.-, I had given instructions to parole and send out of the country as soon as possible all the prisoners of the Confederate Army who had been or should be taken in this department.

The two reasons that influenced me in giving these instructions were:

First. The difficulty of supplying our own troops with provisions. The troops at the most distant stations have for some time past been and are now upon reduced rations - 12 ounces of flour - and this cannot be materially increased until additional means of transportation are received.

Second. My inability to furnish guards, if they are held as absolute prisoners.

Under these instructions 240 have already been sent out of the country and about 240 remain. Of these last two-third are sick or wounded men and their attendants.

Before leaving Fort Craig for this place an officer was sent to propose an exchange of the officers and men (about 30) of this command who were taken prisoners, but he returned without effecting his object, having been unable to overtake the Confederate troops.

There are still many stragglers and deserters and abandoned men in different parts of the country who are now being collected, and will probably make the whole number of prisoners about 500.

The consolidated return will be forwarded as soon as the correct reports are received.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Department.

POLVADERA, N. MEX., May 14, 1862.

Colonel PAUL, Commanding:

SIR: Last night I reached here from Salada. On the 8th I reached Nugales Spring. From there the road ran between the hills for about 15