HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., October 13, 1863.

Lieutenant General T. H. HOLMES, Commanding District of Arkansas:

GENERAL: The lieutenant-general commanding acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 9th instant, relative to the impressment of negroes and the disposition of your command. With reference to the latter, he directs me to say full instructions were given in his communication of the 7th instant. He wishes you to dispose your command in the best position you can find for meeting an advance of the enemy from Little Rock, and covering securely your line of retreat to Shreveport. It has been his intention to concentrate either General Taylor's force on yours or your command on that of General Taylor's whenever the movements of the enemy should justify it; but with one force of his at little Rock and another at Berwick's Bay, such a move would be out of the question, as, after fruitlessly abandoning one section of the department, our united forces would still be too far from the enemy to strike him effectively. The commanding general further instructs me to say that, if the reports concerning General Bragg's late victory in Tennessee, which indicate it to have been complete, are true, he hopes the force of the enemy at Little Rock will be drawn upon to re-enforce Rosecrans or organize a force in his rear to oppose our advancing columns. Under these circumstances you would have no advance from that quarter or Little Rock to fear.

I am, general, very respectfully,

E. CUNNINGHAM,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

[HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,]

Shreveport, La., October 13, 1863.

Captain THOMAS C. PEEK, Camden, Ark.:

Cotton should not be burned on a mere raid of the enemy, only when there is danger of the enemy occupying the country where the cotton is, or where they are sending for it.

By order of Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith:

S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE INDIAN TERRITORY,
Camp Sabine, October 13, 1863.

Brigadier General HENRY E. MCCULLOCH,

Commanding Northern Sub-District of Texas, Bonham:

GENERAL: Your communication of the 11th instant was received per yesterday's express. In regard to your suggestions as regards the change of regiments to be sent you, I would state that I have already ordered Martin's regiment to you, and I take it the regiment is now on its way. I would suggest that, in my opinion, this regiment will render you more effective service than that referred to in your command. As General Bankhead goes to Bonham, he will doubtless make the necessary explanations in the case of Captain Wells. Captain Young has not yet been heard of in this department. Nothing new from the front.

Your obedient servant,

WM. STEELE,

Brigadier-General.