and of an indispensable nature. Much embarrassment having arisen from suspected persons coming through the lines, you are authorized and directed to return immediately upon arrival all such persons to the lines of the enemy. Your position will enable you to procure much valuable information from New Orleans, and of the movements of troops upon the MISSISSIPPI River. Now that Mobile is threatened, such information is particularly desirable. Please send in person and keep the commanding general constantly posted by telegram of all things transpiring in Canby's command, and especially of the assemblage of transports at New Orleans or elsewhere.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. W. FLOWERREE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, Va., August 23, 1864.

Major General D. H. MAURY,

Commanding Mobile, Ala.:

GENERAL: Your telegram of the 11th instant has been the subject of conference with the Quartermaster-General. It is not deemed expedient to change, in your military department or elsewhere, the general system which has been adopted, making the bureau officers for the collection of supplies subject only to requisitions. The evils complained of by you, it seems to me, may be, and should be, readily obviated by previous estimates. An unexpected emergency may at any time be readily met by telegraphic communication. To meet your present needs the Quartermaster-General informs me that he has issued orders, that supplies by furnished to your command, including State reserves, from the depot at Montgomery, and even from that at Columbus, Miss. To show the inconvenience of departure from this general system the Quartermaster-General mentions a case as having occurred some months ago, in which your quartermaster (while the depot at Mobile was placed at your disposal) drew at one time so much of a very scarce article - stationery - as his requisition then in called for for the whole command and for the entire quarter. Such a course would expose the supply department to the most serious embarrassments, as had often been experienced before the adoption of the general system.

Very respectfully,

JAMES. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

CONFIDENTIAL.] HDQRS. DISTRICT OF THE GULF,

Mobile, Ala., August 23, 1864.

[General R. TAYLOR:]

MY DEAR GENERAL: I came down here yesterday morning. The enemy has in this vicinity a reported land force of about 12,000 men at Pensacola, on Ship Island, on Dauphin Island, and Mobile Point. The fleet is very large. The shameful surrender of Forts Powell and Gaines has opened the way for the enemy, and he can to-night land his troops within five miles of the city and invest it. There are in this whole district about 6,000 troops of every description; about 1,000 of them have been under fire, the rest are State reserves and militia and the old men and boys of the town, all recently organized and armed. The works are