HEADQUARTERS EAST DIVISION, DISTRICT OF THE GULF,
Blakely, March 15, 1865.

Captain J. V. TUTT,

Commanding at Greenwood:

CAPTAIN: Your communications have been received. The general directs that you send a force sufficient to capture any picket-posts of the enemy or scouting parties that they may send out. You will instruct the officer in charge (who must be a competent one) to be certain of capturing the whole party, so that the enemy will not know what has become of them, and in that way you may be able to gain some information concerning the intention of the enemy.

Very respectfully, captain, your obedient servant,

H. L. D. LEWIS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FORREST'S CAVALRY CORPS,
West Point, March 15, 1865.

Captain W. F. BULLOCK, Jr.,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of papers relative to the situation of affairs at Natchez. Should the lieutenant-general commanding think it advisable to do so, he can order Colonel Mabry, in command of Ross' brigade, t attempt the capture of the place, but do not think it necessary to turn General Adams back for that purpose. General Adams reported to me a short time since that he had 2,000 effective for duty, and now that he is ordered in this direction, reports only 700 men. He doubtless included Powers' and the Fourth and Sixth Mississippi in the estimate, but (without these) in the Third Mississippi Regiment and Moorman's battalion he should have more than he now reports. Colonel Scott telegraphs me that ninety of his men ran away night before last. I know Colonel Scott to be a disorganizer, and if things cannot be changed his whole command ought ot be dismounted. If Cockrell's Missouri brigade were mounted upon their horses and the Louisiana troops placed in Gibson's brigade, with the addition of McCulloch's regiment, a good Missouri brigade could be made which, if sent to scour the Southern District of Mississippi and East Louisiana, would, by arresting stragglers, deserters, and illegal squads and companies of cavalry now infesting that region, in a short [time], add 1,500 men to our army. It is useless to send men from Scott's or Adams' command to get out these men. A command from some other section who knows no one can alone accomplish it. Whatever can be gotten to Macon of the commands above referred to I will endeavor to fit up and equip for the field.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. B. FORREST,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA.,
Meridian, March 15, 1865.

[Major-General FORREST:]

GENERAL: The lieutenant-general commanding instructs me to direct you to order all officers and men belonging to Ferguson's brigade, includ-