cavalry regiment, now in Copiah, to move eastward to Pearl River and to deploy it down that river so as to cover all the crossings as low down as the head of Honey Island, which will be about the point at which your right will rest after crossing that river. He will thus be in a position to prevent their recrossing above that point. He will, at the same time, post three companies of the Ninth Louisiana Cavalry Battalion, under Captain Amacker, near the mouth of the river, extending across it from Shieldsborough to Mandeville. These companies will prevent escape to Frot pike on the lake shore. From Mandeville he will order four other cavalry companies, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, to picket along the lake shore extending westward from the mouth of the Amite. From this point the regiment of Colonel Powers will be posted up the Amike, so as to picket it above Port Hudson. This line will run generally parallel with the mississippi and within 7 miles of the river at Baton Rouge. Upon colonel Powers' extreme left Colonel Scott's regiment will be posted so as to extend to the river below Bayou Sara. A cordon of pickets will the be established down Pearl River to its mouth; thence along the lake shore to within a short distance of the Mississippi River; thence northward of that river to the Homo Chitto. This cordon will prevent the escape either to New Orleans or west of the Mississippi After crossing the Pearl River with your command you will deploy your troops so as, in conjunction with the cavalry which will close in and co-operate with you, to drive the men you are pursuing northward and make their escape impossible. You will give instructions to arrest every am capable of bearing arms from seventeen to fifty, and to concentrate them at Jackson for organization and distribution. As you pass on up the rive you will keep well on to the Mississippi, so as to clear out the bottoms and as far as possible the villages along its banks. In the prosecution of this campaign you are allowed to exercise a sound discretion in the execution of its details. You will nevertheless bear in mind that the country into which you are now sent has been sadly demoralized, and none other than a vigorous and decisive measure will serve to bring it back to a sound and healthful moral condition. It is of the utmost importance that the movement should be made without a day's delay. You will therefore proceed to its execution immediately upon the receipt of these orders. You will keep yourself in immediate na constant communication with colonel Scott, so that the co-operation shall be understood. You will keep me advised of the progress every day by telegraph, and by written communication by courier more fully every three days. You will also keep an accurate count of all arrests you make.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. M. JACK,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FORREST'S CAVALRY, Jackson, April 25, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel THOMAS M. JACK,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: Everything quiet in this section. One brigade of infantry and fourteen pieces of artillery have been landed at Memphis. They came up the river. My entire command is engaged conscript-