cavalry designated for service in the field into three divisions of two brigades each, the whole to be designated "Cavalry Corps, Military Division of West Mississippi."

By order of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. H. DYER,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
Fort Gaines, March 21, 1865.

Rear-Admiral H. K. THATCHER,

Commanding, &c.:

ADMIRAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this date. I will go up to the front this morning, and will move across to the bay as soon as we have laid the bridges and secured the crossing of our trains over Fish River. Will you please keep a force in the neighborhood of Howard's, and be on the lookout for our signals from Cape Clear up. I will communicate with you as frequently as possible.

Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. ARMY AND DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
Dannelly's Mills, Fish River, March 21, 1865.

Captain T. P. GREENE,

Commanding, &c., U. S. Navy:

CAPTAIN: Will you please order tow or three naval vessels to report to Colonel Sawtelle, chief quartermaster, to-morrow morning at Fort Gaines, Ala., to assist in transporting troops to this point.

I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,

Dauphin Island, March 21, 1865.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Army:

GENERAL: In compliance with your orders of this a. m., the remainder of the Sixteenth Army Corps will leave this afternoon from their respective stations at Cedar Point and here for Fish River. Rations up to the last of the month will arrive at the landing in Fish River by to-morrow noon. There were no arrivals from New Orleans since you left. The headquarters will start by the first boat of the proper draft which returns. Only the steamers Peerless and Swaim came back from Fish River. The former is returning in a fe moments with 300 troops, and the latter is, on account of her light draft, sent to Cedar Point to take troops.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. J. OSTERHAUS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.