ENGINEER OFFICE,

Mobile, March 7, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel E. SURGET,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dept of Ala., Miss., &c., Meridian, Miss..

COLONEL: I have the honor to forward for the information of the lieutenant-general commanding the following copy of a communication received from Major-General Smith, chief engineer, &c.:

ENGINEER HEADQUARTERS,

Mobile, Ala., March 6, 1865.

Colonel S. H. LOCKETT,

Chief Engineer, Dept. of Alabama, &c., Mobile, Ala.:

COLONEL: Please inform General Taylor that the pontoon train is subject to his order, one section being at Milledgeville and one at Macon. I would advise that all the train be for the present left in Georgia, except such portion as may be necessary to complete the one now being prepared at Demopolis.

Should the Army of Tennessee require a train, one could thus soon be sent to it

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. L. SMITH,

Major-General and Chief Engineer, Division of the West.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAML. H. LOCKETT,

Colonel and Chief Engineer, Dept. of Ala., Miss., and East La.

MERIDIAN, March 7, 1865.

Major-General FORREST,

West Point, Miss.:

The force under Grierson reported to-day by Lieutenant McConnell is, it is presumed, the same you reported at Ripley yesterday; and if no larger than reported can be easily handled by the forced you can concentrate against it. The sooner it is met and whipped the better it will be for us, as well will doubtless soon hear of other columns moving to co-operate with it.

By order of Lieutenant-General Taylor:

W. F. BULLOCK, JR.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY, DEPT. OF MISS., WEST TENN., AND EAST LA., Numbers 47.
West Point, Miss., March 7, 1865.

* * *

VI. Captain M. Gill will at once proceed to collect his men and report by the 20th of this month of Brigadier-General Chalmers at Columbus, Miss., or such point as he may be.

By command of Major-General Forrest:

J. P. STRANGE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

WEST POINT, MISS., March 7, 1865.

Brigadier-General CHALMERS:

Have 2,000 men with four days' cooked rations ready in their camps to move by railroad if necessary. Bring all your wagons and artillery west of river if you have to move. Enemy reported at Rienzi.

N. B. FORREST,

Major-General.