General McCulloch, in a letter to General Steele, speaks of a great number of stragglers and deserters being in the Northern Sub-District, and says he is satisfied that many of them are leaving for the north side of Red River. The general commanding wishes you to exercise peculiar vigilance in stopping these fellows. Parties, too, are reported passing through the country on the credit of Quantrill's men, who are, in all I have heard that Quantrill himself published a card with reference to such characters, saying that unless they are provided with a printed furlough from him, they are sailing under false colors. General McCulloch says:

There will be about 500 deserters, &c., that will leave for the frontier on next Saturday (28th instant) if all works well, and I expect your regiments have some among them. All other deserters I gather belonging to your command I will send to you, or report them and let you send for them.

He reports about 1,500 or 2,000 of these renegades in his district.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. G. DUVAL,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE INDIAN TERRITORY,
Doasville, November 29, 1863.

Brigadier-General COOPER,

Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: The general commanding directs me to say that you will move all that portion of your brigade now with you to a point somewhere in the vicinity of Armstrong's Academy, with a view of obtaining a supply of forage more conveniently, and operating in the eastern portion of the Choctaw country. This order is not intended to include any detachments that may be operating in the direction of Fort Smith or the Line road.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. G. DUVAL,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,]

Near Collinsburg, La., November 30, 1863.

Lieutenant General T. H. HOLMES,

Commanding District of Arkansas:

GENERAL: I arrived at Lamarine some fifteen minutes after your departure from that place. But for the bad weather and the storm, which delayed me, I should have been there the evening before. I am sorry I did not meet you, but will by letter bring up the matter which I had under consideration.

Colonel Johnson, the newly appointed Senator from Missouri, has just returned from Northeastern Arkansas. He informs me that McCray has from 1,200 to 2,000 men in process of organization. Whilst it will be difficult to draw this force south of the Arkansas, they are ready and anxious to operate in their own section of country. The enemy draw their supplies from White River by the railroad across a country almost impracticable, as you know, for wagon transportation. Marmaduke reports