to check the bandits who have their headquarters at Guerrero is to force the people to drive the thieves out from their midst without any aid or, rather, in spite of the authorities. The people of that town can only live by keeping what stock they have no this side of the river, and in taking care of their stock here I propose to put them entirely at the mercy of the banditti they are harboring there. I therefore, on my return from Geurrero, immediately published an order forbidding them to have arms on this side of the Rio Grande. I inclose a copy of the order. A number of he leading men called on me asking me to countermand it, as they were afraid to go to their ranches without arms. I told them when they stopped harboring thieves to plunder our citizens I would do so, but could not before. They left saying they would have to force their authorities to drive out the thieves or my orders would force them to stave; hence I have some hopes that the Mexican authorities will take some action favorable to us here as a matter of self-preservation for their own citizens.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SANTOS BENAVIDES,

Captain, C. S. Provisional Army, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT TRANS-MISSISSIPPI,
Alexandria, La., April 14, 1863.

Lieutenant General T. H. HOLMES,

Commanding, &c., Little Rock, Ark.:

GENERAL: It is reported that General Banks has evacuated Baton Rouge and is shifting his troops to Berwick Bay, to make that point a base of operations. He has already concentrated there some 15,000 men, and everything indicates an intention to occupy Western Louisiana. At the same time McClernand, with a force of 15,000, has occupied Richmond, La., and is operating along Bayou Macon.

Order General Walker without delay with his division to Camden, with instructions to hold himself in readiness to move to Monroe should the movements of McClernand render it necessary.

I will delay to Little Rock until the plans of Banks and McClernand are further developed.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

ENGINEER'S OFFICE,

Galveston, April 14, 1863.

Capt EDMUND P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that to may greatest regret I have been disappointed in the placing of rafts across the main channel; everything, wind and tide, working against it. I had half o them again placed, when last night the wind changed, blowing a gale to the north. The current came with (what I never believed before) a weep from 7 to 8 miles, which the rafts already in position could not resist, and not

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