MERIDIAN, May 27, 1864.

General S. COOPER,

Adjt. and Insp. General, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform the Department that I have completed, as far as in my power, the inspection of this department with the examination of Major-General Forrest's cavalry force, amounting to 9,220 effective men, stationed, at the time of my examination, at Verona, Tupelo, and Corinth. This force is principally of new recruits, and consequently undisciplined and undrilled; the material is good, the horses in tolerable condition, but the arms and equipments very deficient. It needs quite 3,000 guns and accouterments. The great extent of the department, and the constant movement of the forces, has not only delayed the obtaining the information required by the Department, but has necessarily rendered it, when obtained, to some extent, of an imperfect nature. I have the honor, however, herewith to forward full field returns of Forrest's cavalry and complete rosters of Loring's and French's DIVISIONS of infantry, of the engineer corps and conscript details, and of a portion of the cavalry*; such as are deficient will be forwarded by my instructions to the Department hereafter. After reflection I deemed it unwise to proceed to East Louisiana. The unsettled condition of the country, the total destruction of all facilities for transportation along the whole extent of country east of the MISSISSIPPI and WEST of Pearl River, if not causes sufficient to prevent the observations I desire to make in that region would have been characterized by such delay as to have made the information useless to the Department. I inclose also the map* of Alabama and Mississippi, referred to in a former report, containing, or rather exhibiting, the districts of police as arranged by Lieutenant-General Polk. I shall report in person at headquarters in Richmond so soon as I can make the journey.

I am, general, with high respect, your obedient servant,

GEORGE B. HODGE,

Assistant Inspector-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA.,
Meridian, May 27, 1864.

Colonel John S. SCOTT,

Commanding Dist. of S. W. Miss. and E. La., Clinton, La.:

COLONEL: Mr. W. D. Winter having been appointed by his Excellency Governor Allen, of Louisiana, an agent to get supplies for the families of soldiers and for the State guard, you will, on his application to you, permit such cotton as he requests to pass through your lines, not to exceed 1,000 bales.

S. D. LEE,

Major-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
AJDT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

No. 123. Richmond, May 27, 1864.

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XIX. Major P. T. Glass, commissary of subsistence, will report to the commanding officer of the cavalry forces of Northern Alabama for assignment to duty.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO WITHERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

*For Forrest's return see May 16, p. 604; the other inclosures not found.