federate States, is president, was arraigned and tried Lieutenant Colonel Aristide Gerard, Thirteenth Regiment Louisiana Volunteers.

CHARGE. - Disobedience of orders.

Specification. - In this, that Lieutenant Colonel A. Gerard of the Thirteenth Louisiana Regiment Volunteers, serving in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, being in command of Fort De Russy, Louisiana, having been ordered by Major-General Taylor, commanding District of Western Louisiana, to evacuate Fort De Russy, and, if possible, to save all the guns and stores, did not use proper diligence and obedience to said orders, but did destroy a considerable quantity of Government property and stores which it was possible to save, and threw into the river two 32-pounder guns, and endeavored to destroy one other 32-pounder gun by subjecting it to a great heat. This at Fort De Russy, on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th days of April, 1863.

FINDING AND SENTENCE,

Of the specification to the charge, "Not guilty."

Of the CHARGE, "Not guilty."

And the court do therefore honorably acquit the accused, Lieutenant Colonel Aristide Gerard, Thirteenth Regiment Louisiana Volunteers.

II. The proceedings of the court in the case of Lieutenant Colonel A. Gerard, Thirteenth Regiment Louisiana Volunteers, are approved. Lieutenant-Colonel Gerard will be released from arrest and returned to duty.

By command of Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith.

S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS OUTPOSTS,
Camp at Russell's, Ferry, July 19, 1863.

Captain JOHN C. MOORE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Jacksonport:

CAPTAIN: Colonel Kitchen's estimate of the Federal force at Bloomfield is confirmed by my own scouts from Poplar Bluff. Very few Federal scouts are sent out from Bloomfield, and they make no attempt to cross the Saint Francis River. Citizens report the Federals feeding all the wheat in that vicinity, on account of the scarcity of forage.

The force in that vicinity, on account of the scarcity of forage.

The force at Ironton and Pilot Knob is about as previously reported. No scouts are sent out from those points. I send you field returns of my regiment and Captain Reves' company. Reports from the other commands have not as yet been sent in, although they were ordered to do so six days ago. I will forward them as soon as received.

Colonels Wood and Coleman have not as yet acknowledged the receipt of Brigadier-General Marmaduke's order. I do not think they intend obeying it. I suppose the reason why Colonel Coleman does not report is that Major Crandall is in command of his men.

Captain Reves writes me that he has seen a Saint Louis paper of the 11th. He says it contains full particulars of the Vicksburg surrender. Lieutenant-General Pemberton surrendered, on the 4th, 14 brigadier-generals, 130 colonels, 30,000 privates, 50,000 small-arms and 102 cannon. He also says that a citizen reports seeing the 13th, which denies the surrender, and says, on the contrary, the enemy was repulsed, with a loss of 8,000.

I am, captain, your obedient servant,

JNO. Q. BURBRIDGE,

Colonel, Commanding.