troduced in a new era in Texas by driving from our soil a ruthless enemy. You deserve, sir, not only my thanks, but the thanks of every Texan. Your advent was scarcely known in Texas when we were awaked from our reverie to the realities of your splendid victory. Its planning and execution reflect additional glory on your former fame, as well as on the arms of Texas.

Most sincerely do we trust that a new era has now dawned upon us, and that you may be enabled again to restore Texas to her wonted security. We hope that Texas, with so gallant a leader as you are, general, will yet show to the world that she is capable of defending her own soil, notwithstanding she has already been drained of her only resources, which have been transferred to other battle-fields. You will find that all Texans want is a general who is capable of leading them to victory, and now having obtained that, I hope you will ever find them ready to second your efforts and that your future may be as glorious as your past.

When you arrived here, general, you found our country without organization, without plans for our defense, and our situation most deplorable. What few resources we had were without organization, without discipline, and without everything that was calculated to render the means she had efficient. You have breathed new life into everything; you have illustrated to them what they can do, and most sincerely do I trust that the past may only be the dawning of the future, and I pray that under the guidance of a Divine Being you may be enabled to carry out the regeneration of Texas. It would give me pleasure, general, to call and pay my respects to you were it not that I have but recently arisen from a sick bed.

Very truly, your friend,

SAMUEL HOUSTON.

GENERAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS, No. 5.
Port Hudson, La., January 7, 1863.

The troops of this post will be organized into brigades, arranged at the breastworks as follows:

I. Brigadier General John Gregg's brigade to take post on the right, extending from the river; Brigadier General S. B. Maxey's brigade the center, and Brigadier General W. N. R. Beall's brigade the left.

II. Brigadier-General Maxey's brigade will consist of Col. w. R. Miles' Legion; the consolidated regiment consisting of the Forty-second, Forty-sixth, Forty-eighth, Fifty-third Tennessee Regiments, and Ninth Tennessee Battalion, commanded by Col. W. A. Quarles; the consolidated regiment consisting of the Forty-ninth, Fifty-fifth Tennessee, and the Seventh Texas Regiments, commanded by Col. J. E. Bailey; Col. Gus. A. Breaux's Thirtieth Louisiana Regiment, and Boone's, Roberts', and Fenner's batteries, and Colonel Allen's Fourth Louisiana Regiment.

III. Brigadier-General Beall's brigade will consist of the consolidated regiment consisting of the Fourteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-third Arkansas Regiments, and First Arkansas Battalion, commanded by Col. R. H. Crockett; the consolidated regiment consisting of the Eleventh and Fifteenth Arkansas Regiments, commanded by Col. John L. Logan; the consolidated regiment consisting of the Twenty-seventh and Thirty-first Alabama Regiments and Sixth Alabama Battalion, commanded by Col. J. M. Simonton; the consolidated