and satisfaction, that what they had been represented to me as having been.

No outrage at all was committed upon the person or property of the colonel that I heard of.

The colonel told me that the whole trouble, he thought, had arisen from a few ambitious and dissatisfied officers; that the men were easily enough managed.

When I left him, I apprehended no further trouble to him from these causes.

I have the honor to remain, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BEN. ALLSTON,

Colonel, and Inspector-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. TRANS.-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT, Numbers 20.
Shreveport, La., June 16, 1863.

In obedience to instructions from the Secretary of War, it is hereby announced, "that in future no substitute for a soldier in service will be received, unless the substitution first have the approval of the general commanding the army or the department to which the soldier belongs."

By command of Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith:

S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[JUNE 16, 1863.-For Smith to Davis, in relation to affairs in Trans-Mississippi Department, see Series I, Vol. XXII, Part II, p. 871.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, C. S. A.,

Richmond, June 17, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith for your information an extract from a dispatch of the 21st March last, addressed to this department by J. A. Quinterro, esq., confidential agent of the Confederate States to Northeastern Mexico, relative to military affairs on that frontier.

A copy of the papers which accompanied Mr. Quinterro's dispatch is also inclosed.*

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

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of State.

[Inclosure.]

MONTEREY, March 21, 1863.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN, Richmond:

SIR: * * * I last evening received by express a communication from General Bee, stating that on the night of the 14th instant the Rio Grande was crossed by parties unknown, and a number of persons taken prisoners, among whom, it is said, was Colonel E. J. Davis. This happened at the mouth of said river, in Mexico. General Lopez, of Tamaulipas, has made a demand for the release of Colonel Davis, but as the persons who have acted in this matter are unknown, the prisoners cannot be found, and General Bee had no knowledge or connivance in the affair, it is to be presumed that the investigation ordered by him and the punishment of

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*Not found.

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