will detail 1 officer from each regiment, and 1 man from each company, to remain here in charge of the surplus baggage.

By command of Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith:

W. R. BOGGS,

Brigadier-General, and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT, Shreveport, May 16, 1863.

Major General RICHARD TAYLOR,
Commanding:

GENERAL: Lieutenant-General Smith directs me to inform you that General Holmes was ordered by telegraph several days ago to send a brigade to Camden, and that he been written to have transportation ready to transport the brigade of Monroe, if General Hebert requires it.

I am, general, very respectfully, &c.,

W. R. BOGGS,

Brigadier-General, and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT, Shreveport, May 16,1 863.

Major General RICHARD TAYLOR,
Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: Your dispatches of the 14th and 15th were received this morning. Two regiments of Speight's brigade will be shipped immediately for Grand Ecore; they contain all that is efficient in his command.

The two batteries left here are an undisciplined mob, worthless and disaffected; they would only be an incumbrance instead of an assistance to you. I shall disband and conscript the officers, and order the men to be distributed through the regiments of Walker's division on its arrival.

I inclose you a copy of my letter to General Scurry, written when the evacuation by you of Natchitoches seemed inevitable.

The infantry at Niblett's Bluff were ordered by me to concentrate there from Galveston and Houston, when the news first arrived of your battle on the Teche. A good road, both to Opelousas and Natchitoches, with a railroad to the Sabine, made it a desirable point, from which a concentration could be made at Natchitoches or the enemy's communications could be threatened, should he advance so rapidly as to defeat the concentration. The cavalry from Texas was all ordered by me, via Niblett's Bluff, to report to General Mounton for operations on the enemy's communications. Finding, after the evacuation of Alexandria, that General Scurry had ordered two of the cavalry regiments to San Augustine, I ordered them to report to you at Natchitoches, where, if not needed in your rear, they could been ordered to join General Mouton.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.