still farther down the Line road. The Federal cavalry at and near Fort Smith consists of the Second and Sixth Kansas and the Fifteenth [First] and Second Arkansas, the Third Wisconsin, and, perhaps, more. This would give sufficient force for a strong raid.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. STEELE,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., November 24, 1863.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President and the Confederate States:

SIR: I have the honor to call Your Excellency's attention to the fact that, owing to the system adopted east of the Mississippi of consolidating regiments that have been reduced, a large number of supernumerary officers have been left without command or assignment to duty. In very many instances these supernumerary officers have been ordered to the Trans-Mississippi Department on recruiting service. The results is that there are now scattered throughout this department great numbers of officers ostensibly recruiting, but in reality doing nothing, and for whom I have no duty. These officers have been for months drawing their pay without performing any service. The effect of this is not only a great and unnecessary expense to the Government and injury to the service, but it tends also to create dissension and spread dissatisfaction among the citizens, and, to some extent, impairs their confidence in the Government. I would, in view of these facts, most respectfully suggest to you the propriety of adopting some mode of disposing of these supernumeraries.

I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT, No. 202.
Shreveport, November 26, 1863.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

VI. Brigadier General P. O. Hebert, Provisional Army of the Confederate States, will proceed to the city of Richmond, and on his arrival at that point report to the Adjutant and Inspector General Confederate States Army.

By command of Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith:

S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE INDIAN TERRITORY,
Doaksville, November 27, 1863.

Colonel S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have received, by the hands of Captain Heiston, adjutant-general to General Cooper, some papers from your office, which surprise me not a little. That a subordinate commander is allowed to send one of his staff to report the state of affairs in his brigade, and that his reports should be received, and myself referred to the communications