GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, No. 99.
New Orleans, November 21, 1862

A commission to consist of Col. T. W. Cahill, commanding United States forces in New Orleans and Algiers; Col. H. C. Deming, acting mayor of New Orleans and E. H. Durell, chairman bureau of finance of New Orleans is hereby appointed to determine the amount due as jail expenses from the United States on account of negroes already released from the police jail, to be employed by the Government.

Hereafter no negro slave will be confined in that jail unless such expenses are prepaid, the slave to be released when the money is exhausted.

It is also ordered that a list of the reputed owners of slaves now in the police jail be published, and that all slaves whose jail fees are not paid within ten days after such publication be discharged. This is the course taken in all countries with debtors confined by creditors, and slaves have not such commercial value in New Orleans as to justify their being held and fed by the city, relying upon any supposed lien upon the slave.

By command of Major-General Butler:

GEO. C. STRONG.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, No. 101.
New Orleans, November 25, 1862

The provisions of General Orders, No. 91, current series, from these headquarters are hereby extended to embrace all the State of Louisiana east of the Mississippi River, except the parishes of Orleans, Plaquemines, and Saint Bernard.

By command of Major-General Butler:

GEO. C. STRONG,

Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.

[NOVEMBER 29, 1862. - For Butler to Secretary of State, transmitting correspondence with Admiral Reynaud in reference to French subjects imprisoned, and Wolcott to Butler, December 12, 1862, on same subject, see Series II.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,

New Orleans, November 29, 1862

Major-General HALLECK,

Commanding in Chief:

GENERAL: The enemy has concentrated a large force, not less probably than 10,000 men-some excellent authorities stating the numbers as high as 15,000-at Port Hudson. The position is naturally a strong one, stronger even, it is believed than Vicksburg. The design of the enemy is to fight the great battle for the possession of the Mississippi at that point. For the want of a sufficient land force-the Navy says they must have 10,000 at least-I have been compelled to postpone a projected attack upon the position. It might have been taken by five