been sent you to make the necessary arrangements for subsisting these troops. The additional 5,000 militia will come from the northeastern part of the State.

The major-general commanding has made arrangements to conceal the withdrawal of the troops from this frontier, and desires that you will regard this as confidential.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

VICKSBURG, May 8, 1863.

General GARDNER, Osyka:

Return with 2,000 troops to Port Hudson and hold it to the last. President says both places must be held.

J. C. PEMBERTON,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
Engineer Office, Mobile, Ala., May 8, 1863.

Lieutenant J. W. GLENN,

Engineer, Fort Gainess:

SIR: Brigadier-General Slaughter directs that Grant's Pass be obstructed. You will stop up the opening you have just made without delay.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. LEADBETTER,

Brigadier General and Engineer.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DIST. OF TEX., N. MEX., AND ARIZ., No. 134.
Fort Hudson, May 8, 1863.

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VII. Brigadier General W. R. Scurry, commanding East Sub-District, will cause to be placed in depot at Harrisburg ninety days' rations for 5,000 militia. He will also cause ninety days' rations to be placed in depot at some convenient point on the frontier of Texas and Louisiana for 5,000 additional militia, if they should be called out by the Governor and armed by him. He is directed to communicate with His Excellency the Governor of Texas on this subject. The point most suitable for a depot on the Louisiana and Texas frontier will probably be found somewhere on the Nacogdoches road.

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XI. Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, commanding battalion, will cause one company from his command to relieve Captain [J. T.] Breckenridge at Lavaca, who is hereby directed to proceed with his company at once to Fort Brown and report to Colonel Duff at that point.

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By command of Major-General Magruder:

E. P. TURNER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.