If the enemy should fall back from Arkansas into Texas, and Hurlbut should no longer require re-enforcements, I see no reason why Steele cannot advance to Red River and form a junction with Banks, or at least hold that river, while Banks operates in Texas.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Numbers 137.
Saint Louis, Mo., November 17, 1863.

I. The attention of provost-marshal in this department is called to the following extract from the Appendix to Revised Army Regulations, Paragraph 13, page 511:

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All property captured by the army, or seized by any provost-marshal, or taken up astray, or taken from soldiers marching in the enemy's country, will be turned over to the chiefs of the staff departments to which such property would appertain, on duty with the troops, and will be accounted for by them as captured property, and used for the public service, unless claimed by owners, and ordered by the commanding officer to be returned. In such case, the receipts of the owners, to whom the property is delivered, will be taken therefor. Provost-marshals will make returns to the adjutant-general of all such property, and of the disposition made of it, accounting on separate returns for ordnance, quartermaster's, subsistence, medical stores, &c., furnishing and procuring the usual invoices and receipts, and charging the officers to whom the property has been delivered with the same on the returns.

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This includes all contraband property whatsoever.

When any doubt exists as to the property being contraband, it will be retained in the possession of the provost-marshal until an investigation is had, and the proceedings forwarded to the provost-marshal-general of the department for his action in the case.

The expenses of the district provost-marshal's offices will be paid upon vouchers, properly made out, and approved by the provost-marshal-general of the department. These vouchers will be paid, as far as possible, from the proceeds of contraband property by the district quartermaster.

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By command of Major-General Schofield:

OLIVER D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., November 19, 1863.

Major General N. P. BANKS,

Commanding Department of the Gulf, New Orleans, La.:

GENERAL: The General-in-Chief informs me that your main force, when last heard from, was at Opelousas, moving up the Red River. He was not informed whether your force would go up to Alexandria and Shreveport, or turn off from Opelousas.

General Steele's command is now at and near Little Rock, and seems quite strong enough to drive Price beyond Red River. He is only waiting for the time to arrive when he can be supplied, via Red River, which, I believe, depends only upon the navigability of that stream and upon your operations.

The General-in-Chief suggest that General Steele might now advance to Red River and form a junction with you, or at least hold that river