SPECIAL
HEADQUARTERS ARMY AND DIVISION, FIELD ORDERS,
OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 41.
Mobile, Ala., April 22, 1865.

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6. The following-named officers will constitute a commission to decide upon the distribution among the engineer quartermaster's, and commissary departments of this army, proportionately to their wants, of the store-houses, machine-shops, tools, materials, labor, and other facilities made available for army use by the occupation of Mobile and vicinity by the U. S. forces: Brigadier General J. Bailey, commanding Engineer Brigade: Captain S. E. Rundle, assistant quartermaster, acting depot quartermaster at Mobile; Captain W. W. Cantine, commissary of subsistence, depot commissary at Mobile. Heads of departments should lay before the commission statements of their requirements, limiting them to the minimum in all cases, for distribution.

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

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA.,
Meridian, Miss., April 22, 1865.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Army and Division of West Mississippi, Mobile, Ala.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of 19th instant, in reply to mine of 14th instant, on the subject of the exchange of prisoners captured by you in your operations near the city of Mobile. Major Curell, the bearer of these communications, also gives to me the verbal message or suggestions intrusted to him by you for me. The tenor and tone of your communication and the sentiments of your message induce me to believe that a personal interview between us, although informal in its inception and character, may be attended with results consonant with the views which, I think, we both entertain, and if such should be the case be reduced to writing and become the basis of final action within the sphere of the authority confided to us. For the purpose above indicated I am willing to meet you at such time and place as you may appoint. This will be handed to you by Major Curell, C. S. Army, who will also communicate verbally the views and sentiments which I have expressed to him to be conveyed to you.

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

R. TAYLOR,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Mobile, Ala., April 22, 1865.

Brigadier-General BENTON:

GENERAL: I send you this p. m. steamer Tammaulipas loaded with rations and forage. Colonel Palfrey and Captain Sargent left here this morning to join you and assistant in selecting and laying out the required defenses. Keep me advised of your wants; also of the position, movements, and designs of the enemy. Any information of the movements and whereabouts of Generals Smith and Steele's columns will be