the enemy. I have asked General Gholson to keep me posted. My horses are very tired. I saw a scout going out this morning from West Point. Duff's battalion and Morton's battery went a road south of this. I have sent after them to come here. I am about 16 miles from West Point on Houston road. I will put a courier post between here and West Point. I will keep courier line to Houston and a scout also there. I will need some ammunition and will send to West Point for it.

Very respectfully,

J. E. FORREST,

Colonel, Commanding.

I. HARRISON,

Colonel.

LEWIS' FERRY, 25 MILES BELOW DEMOPOLIS,

February 16, 1864.

General FORNEY, Demopolis:

Your dispatch all received. Boats enough for pontoon; pontoon finished; troops and trains will pass over to-night. Will send two steam-boats to you to-morrow and will send the barges back which were brought down to-day.

By command of Lieutenant-General Polk:

W. D. GALE,

Aide-de-Camp.

P. S.- If there is any freight at Gainesville you should send for it first.

CHARLESTON, S. C., February 16, 1864.

Major General D. H. MAURY, Commanding, &c., Mobile, Ala.:

Are water faces of Fort Morgan protected by glaces from fire of iron-clads in Pass or batteries in Fort Gaines? Enemy may take latter in few weeks, establish heavy rifled-gun batteries there to destroy Morgan, and then use the bay as a base for ulterior operations against Mobile.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

[Numbers 34.] -JOINT RESOLUTION of thanks to the enlisted men of Douglas' (Texas) battery.

Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That the thanks of Congress are eminently due, and are hereby tendered, to the enlisted men of Douglas' (Texas) battery for the patriotic resolutions adopted by them on the 18th day of January last, and by which they re-enlisted in the military service of the country for the war.

Approved February 16, 1864.

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS,

Lewis' Ferry, February 16, 1864.

The trains and troops of Major-Generals Loring and French will be put across the river to-night. To-morrow the commands will rest on the eastern side of the river, the movement being discontinued for twenty-four hours.

By command of Lieutenant-General Polk:

THOMAS M. JACK,

Assistant Adjutant-General.