III. Brigadier General William Dwight, U. S. Volunteers, is assigned to duty at Fort Jackson, to which post he will proceed without delay, and assume command.

By command of Major-General Banks:

G. NORMAN LIEBER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES FORCES,
Fort Esperanza, Tex., December 14, 1863

Brigadier General CHARLES P. STONE,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: I report that yesterday I sent Brigadier-General Warren with a regiment of troops, up to Indianola on the steamer Alabama. They drove the enemy's pickets out of town, and took possession and raised the Stars and Stripes. After remaining a few hours, they returned. The inhabitants were much frightened when the troops, arrived as great pains have been taken by General Magruder to impress upon them to idea that our troops would burn, ravish, and destroy wherever they go, and, acting upon their fears, is endeavoring to induce them to flee from the coast and destroy their property. Before our troops left, their minds were disabused, and they showed considerable friendly feeling.

Respectfully, yours,

C. C. WASHBURN,

Major-General.

PORT HUDSON,

December 14, 1863-7 p.m.

Brigadier General CHARLES P. STONE,

Chief of Staff, New Orleans:

It is rumored among citizens outside my lines that Powers has 3,000 men near Woodville. Negroes from Bayou Sara state that they have been with the rebels, and they had not more than 500 or 600. I can learn nothing further about the forces on the west bank of the Mississippi.

GEO. L. ANDREWS,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding Post.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 312.
New Orleans, December 14, 1863

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XXXIV. Mr. E. Whittemore and associates, having tendered their resignations as president and officers of the commission of relief, will, on the 15th instant,turn over all the stores and property then remaining in their hands pertaining to this commission-also all the records, books, and papers of the office of the commission-to Lieutenant-Colonel Van Petten, One hundred and sixtieth New York; Captain John L. Swift, Third Massachusetts Cavalry; Captain J. B. Nott, commissary of subsistence; and submit to these headquarters their final report and accounts as the commission of relief.