process of lightening. I shall communicate with regularity all matters on interest occurring here.

With great respect,

H. P. BEE,

Brigadier-General, Provisional Army.

Abstract from Monthly Report of the troops in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, Lieutenant General John C. S. A., commanding, for month of January, 1863.*

Present for duty.

Command. Officers. Men. Aggregate Aggregate Remarks.

present. present

and

absent.

District

of

Louisian

a:

Beall' 337 3,598 4,820 6,635 Major

brigade General

Frank.

Gregg's 215 2,611 3,414 4,171 Gardner

brigade commandi

ng,

Maxey's 305 3,188 4,685 5,778 headquar

brigade ters

Field 18 342 462 580 Port

artiller Hudson.

y

Not 144 1,614 2,421 3,569

brigaded

Total 1,019 11,353 15,802 20,733

PORT HUDSON, February 2, 1863.

Lieutenant-General PEMBERTON:

Nine hundred and sixty-two is the total effective of cavalry at all stations, not including Ponchatoula.

FRANK. GARDNER,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN SUB-DISTRICT OF TEXAS,
Fort Brown, February 3, 1863.

Major A. G. DICKINSON,

Asst. Adjt. General, Distr. of Tex., N. Mex., and Ariz., Houston, Tex.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a communication, dated Houston, January 20, 1863, informing me that Colonel Woods' regiment has been ordered by the commanding general to remain at Lavaca.

It is proper that I should inform the general commanding that in my opinion the force at my disposal for the defense of this point and the line of the Rio Grande is insufficient, and that I will be forced to fall back should the enemy appear in force. Not less than ten companies of mounted men will be necessary to guard the line of frontier from the mouth of the Rio Grande to Laredo, a distance of 400 miles, which would not be available to me in case of a landing of the enemy from the sea, as it is just at that time that the renegades, with their Mexican allies, will seek to cross the river into Texas for the purpose of co-operating with the invading force and the destruction of our stock, ranches, &c.

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* Abstract from whole return will appear in chapter covering operations against Vicksburg, January 20-August 10, 1863, Series I, Vol. XXIV. Part II.

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