effective. Would send you a complete field report but for the inaccuracy of the DIVISION and brigade reports brought into these headquarters this morning. Will send you a correct report as soon as possible.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. P. STRANGE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST Miss. AND EAST LA.,
Liberty, Miss., September 16, 1864.

Captain W. F. BULLOCK,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to lay before the department [the following] statement:

On the 4th of August, 1864, I received from the War Department the following order:

SPECIAL ORDERS

Numbers 183.

Brigadier General George B. Hodge, Provisional Army, C. S., is assigned to the command of the District South of the Homochitto River, in the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana, to relieve Brigadier General St. John R. Liddell, Provisional Army, C. S.

By command of the Secretary of War:

SAML. W. MELTON,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

At the same time, in addition to much verbal and personal suggestion and instructions from the President and the Secretary of War, I received from the Secretary elaborate and carefully prepared instructions signed by his own hand, copies of which are on file on the War Department, and a copy of which I left with the commanding general of the department. By these instructions I was directed not only to vigorously endeavor to repel the assaults of the enemy upon the district, but to suppress on the one hand the illegal trade of the people in cotton with the enemy, and on the other to carry out in good faith contracts entered into by the Department at Richmond and the various department commanders for the furnishing of supplies to the army, copies of some of which were furnished me and copies of some of which I was ordered to call for. Long, full, verbal instructions were given me by the President in regard to the suppression of abuses and the removal of causes of complaint which existed in the district. It will be observed that I was not ordered to report to the general commanding the department for assignment to duty, but was by a direct order from the War Department assigned to the command of this district, and by direct and voluminous orders from the Secretary of War instructed in regard to the administration of the affairs of the district. So clearly defined seemed to be the views of the Government upon this subject that when, after a conversation with Major-General Maury, at Meridian, he had directed me to suspend all contracts, I telegraphed the fact to the Secretary of War, and, suggesting that the order was in conflict with his, asked for instructions afresh, he replied:

RICHMOND, August 26, 1864.

General G. B. HODGE:

Suspend until General Maury can report his reasons, carrying out, however, transactions in process of execution.

JAS. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.