HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, December 24, 1863.

Depot Quartermaster at Brashear:

SIR: The artillery of the Third Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, will be transported to Algiers by rail as soon as practicable. Let all the infantry of that division and the Ohio battery ordered by the chief of artillery precede the artillery of the division.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[CHAS. P. STONE,]

Brigadier-General, and Chief of Staff.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 322.
New Orleans, December 24, 1863.

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IV. Major General Francis J. Herron, U. S. Volunteers, will proceed without delay to Brownsville, Tex., and report to Major General N. J. T. Dana, U. S. Volunteers, to take command of the Rio Grande frontier of Texas. On the arrival of Major-General Herron at Brownsville, Major-General Dana will proceed to Fort Esperanza, Pass Cavallo, Tex., and assume immediate command of the troops on the coast of Texas.

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VI. The Fourth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, will proceed without delay to Fort Esperanza, Pass Cavallo, Tex., and be reported for duty to the major-general commanding the forces of the United States in that vicinity. The quartermaster's department will furnish the necessary transportation.

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By command of Major-General Banks:

G. NORMAN LIEBER,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,

Santa Fe, N. Mex., December 25, 1863.

Major General N. P. BANKS,

Commanding Department of the Gulf, Brownsville, Tex.:

GENERAL: On the 24th instant, I had the honor to receive your letter of the 5th ultimo, dated at Brazos Santiago. I beg to congratulate you on your foothold upon the soil of Texas. There can be no doubt but that the flag will be permanently maintained, not only where you are, but at every new and advanced point where you may plant it. It will be out of my power to send any troops from New Mexico toward San Antonio to co-operate with you in your contemplated advance upon that city-

1. For lack of force over and above what is absolutely necessary here to carry on the existing was against the Navahoes and Apaches.

2. For lack of means of transportation to move over the 700 miles of nearly a desert from the Rio Grande to San Antonio.

From information derived from Union refugees from Western Texas, there will be thousands of loyal hearts who will gather around the colors as you advance, and so that you have arms and material for them