misrepresenting my relations with General Taylor, and otherwise calculated to injure me. These reports are said the come from your headquarters. I am sure they do not originate there, and you, who know the relations existing between General Taylor and myself, will, I trust, counteract any misstatement in circulation. I have General Taylor's interest at heart, and, knowing injustice has been done him by the people of Louisiana, determined to give him the means and opportunity for proving how greatly he has ben miss appreciated. I told General Taylor I would leave him in command unless it became necessary to send an officer senior to him with the re-enforcements ordered to Louisiana, in which event I would myself take the field in person. The interest of the Government, moreover, require me to remain at headquarters, if possible, till the bureaus and departments have been organized and some general system has been introduced throughout the Trans-Mississippi Department.

I directed General Boggs to instruct you to have a courier leave Alexandria daily, and to give me any information received either from below or from General Taylor.

What reports have you from Mouton? I have the telegraph now in operations to Monroe, and expect soon to open communication through Richmond with General Taylor.

Give my regards to Mrs. Taylor. I have attended to her requests in regard to her little boys' graves.

I remain, sincerely, yours,

E. KIRBY SMITH.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT, Shreveport, June 3, 1863.

Brigadier General P. O. HEBERT,
Commanding, &c., Monroe, La.:

I am informed the railroad bridges over the Bayous Macon and Tensas can be repaired in twenty-four hours.

Major-General Taylor should now be opposite Vicksburg with his forces, and if the reports of General Grant's discomfiture at Vicksburg are true, the Vicksburg Railroad should be repaired to Richmond as speedily as practicable, or, if it cannot be repaired as far as Richmond, it should be put in running order as far east as possible. You will inform Major-General Taylor what you determine to do.

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,

Numbers 15.
Shreveport, La., June 3, 1863.

I. All soldiers escaped from Arkansas Post who have not reported for duty, will do so at once, at the following points, viz: Troops from Arkansas, at Little Rock, and from Texas, at Shreveport. Those who do not comply with this order immediately, and whom it may become necessary to arrest for failure to do so, will be treated as deserters.

II. Brigadier General E. Greer, Provisional Army Confederate States, is assigned to duty as commandant of conscripts for the Department of Trans-Mississippi, and will establish his headquarters at Shreveport, La. Commandants of conscripts for the several districts within the