that an equivalent number of inferior arms were turned in lieu of them. Please have a report forwarded of the number and position of any such arms, as they are needed for issue to the militia. One thousand sand short Enfields are expected within the next few days, which will be forwarded to you. When you have them issued please send the arms turned in, with surplus ammunition, to Captain Evans, at Meridian. Please call the attention of your ordnance officer to the importance of prompt attention to sending in reports, and to the necessity of taking care of all arms which become surplus by reason of being replaced by superior guns.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. W. FLOWERREE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[AUGUST 29, 1864. - For Hood to Maury, in relation to assistance from latter, see Vol. XXXVIII, Part V, p. 999.]

MOBILE, August 29, 1864.

General S. Cooper:

Enemy have increased their force slightly at Cedar Point, but appear to be merely making a lodgment there. I cannot move outside of the breast-work with the militia. Baker's brigade has about 700 men.

FRANK. GARDNER.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT SOUTH OF HOMOCHITTO,
August 29, 1864.

Colonel GEORGE DEAS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Meridian, Miss.:

COLONEL: I have to-day, under the authority forwarded from Governor Clark, of Mississippi, established a camp of rendezvous for the mounted men of Southwestern MISSISSIPPI at Centerville, Amite County, and for the infantry at Summit. The conscript officer for East Louisiana, who is also in charge of the reserves, will immediately organize six companies of reserves here at Clinton and turn them over to me. So soon as they are organized and turned over I will station them at Tangipahoa, with instructions to extend their pickets to the lake shore. This will protect the flanks of my district by the State troops of Louisville and Mississippi, leaving Scott, with the regular cavalry, to occupy the country in the diversion of Baton Rouge and New Orleans, and I hope to be able so to extend my lines as to suppress entirely the trade in cotton and be ready to strike the enemy the moment he moves out from any of his towns. I shall soon have established here a district general hospital, into which I shall order all absentees on sick leave, and hope by this means of benevolent coercion to fill the ranks of the old regiments. I have sent in agents to Baton Rouge and New Orleans and made arrangements for speedy and constant intelligence. Greenbacks ought to be sent here for secret-service purposes. Would it not