HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
Mobile, January 31, 1864.

Lieutenant General L. POLK:

GENERAL: I hope your occupations in Mississippi will not prevent you from visiting this place at an early day. I think you will find much of interest here, and hope much from your suggestions and advice after you shall have made a personal examination into the condition of the defenses and of the troops.

Up to this time I have failed to procure satisfactory evidence of such preparations in New Orleans as would indicate an intention to attack Mobile. By information received on yesterday. I learn that up to the 19th instant there was no adequate preparation going on there; from several other sources I have learned that there were no visible preparations for any attack on Mobile. On the other hand, I hear the rumor repeated that Farragut is about to force the passage of the outer line, but I can procure no satisfactory evidence that he has such a fleet as will be required to attack successfully the Bay batteries.

My preparations are nevertheless pressed as rapidly as practicable. Negroes are now coming in and supplies of ordnance stores come in also, but they are very far from what I need for a long siege.

I hope to hear that I will soon have the pleasure of seeing you here, and am,

Very respectfully, yours,

DABNEY H. MAURY.

[JANUARY 31, 1864.-For Clanton to Polk, see Maury to Seddon, December 28, 1863, &c., Vol. XXVI, Part II, p. 553.]

Abstract from the return of the Department of East Tennessee, Lieutenant General James Longstreet, C. S. Army, commanding, January 31, 1864.

Present for duty.

Offi Men. Effect Aggrega Aggrega Pi

cers ive te te ec

total present present es

Command. presen . and of

t. absent. ar

ti

ll

er

y

General staff 12 - - 12 19 -

McLaws' division 356 3,893 3,893 5,403 11,171 -

Hood's division 440 4,146 4,146 5,931 14,660 -

Buckner's 180 2,136 2,136 2,859 5,386 -

division

Wharton's brigade 51 725 725 895 1,372 -

Jackson's brigade 44 275 275 397 769 -

Total infantry 1,08 11,175 11,175 15,497 33,377 -

3

Cavalry:

Jones' brigade 109 1,395 1,395 1,687 3,181 -

Giltner's brigade 139 1,196 1,196 1,503 2,627 -

Vaughn's brigade 85 528 528 696 1,080 -

Rucker's Legion 19 171 171 213 525 -

Martin's Cavalry

Corps:

Staff 4 - - 4 4 -

Armstrong's

division

Dibrell's brigade 94 944 944 1,424 1,818 -

Harrison's 73 642 642 921 1,531 -

brigade

Morgan's

division:

Crews' brigade 63 730 730 1,043 3,453 -

Russell's brigade 65 724 724 1,149 2,960 -

Total cavalry 651 6,330 6,330 8,640 17,179 -