he has gone there to return with them in six days, when those across the river will join him to make a dash at this place. The doctor entertains no doubt of the truth of this; he says they do not expect to hold the place, but to plunder and retire immediately. It is in character with the man. He once with 10 men held the plaza of El Paso for two hours.

There is much excitement in El Paso with regard to these matters. The authorities are purchasing all the arms that they can. They are very much afraid of the Texans. Mr. Zubrian offers to deliver 1,000 fenagas of corn within fifteen or twenty days after being notified, at 3 1/2 cents per pound (free of all Mexican dues), in the town of El Paso, and within twenty days thereafter 1,000 or 2,000 fenagas more, payable in coin. This is regarded by business men here a low offer. They say grain is rising fast, and the purchase of that amount will also tend to raise the price. Mr. Zubrian requests to be notified at once if his offer cannot be accepted. I inclose a letter from Dr. Diffendorfer.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWARD B. WILLIS,

Captain, First Infantry, California Volunteers.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, No. 105.
New Orleans, December 9, 1862

Under General Orders, No. 55, current series, from these headquarters, an assessment was made upon certain parties who had aided the rebellion "to be appropriated to the starving poor of New Orleans."

The calls upon the fund raised under that order have been frequent and urgent and it is now exhausted. But the poor of this city have the same or increased necessities for relief as then and their calls must be heard, and it is both fit and proper that the parties responsible for the present state of affairs should have the burden of their support.

Therefore the parties named in Schedules A and B of General Orders No. 55, as hereunto annexed,* are assessed in like sums and for the same purpose, and will make payment to D. C. G. Field, financial clerk, at his office at these headquarters on or before Monday, December 15, 1862.

By command of Major-General Butler:

GEO. C. STRONG,

Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.

HDQRS. EMORY'S DIVISION, BANKS' EXPEDITION,
Steamer Baltic, off Ship Island, December 14, 1862

Lieutenant Col. RICHARD B. IRWIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Banks' Expedition:

SIR: The mail steamer that you supposed ran here has ceased to do so; it has not run for a week, and the ships that are coming in here are so crowded that I cannot get a horse on board of them. It is therefore impossible for me to get away from here unless you send one vessel from New Orleans. Besides the load of the Baltic and Atlantic, 2,000 men and a large amount of commissary stores, I believe the Ericsson draws too much water to go into New Orleans. I have therefore to request that the general commanding will cause the fol-

---------------

*See pp. 540-542.

---------------