major-general, commanding, copies of which are herewith forwarded you,* to be furnished in all cases to the agent charged with the duty of hiring negroes, who will be instructed to exhibit the same to the planters.

E. B. PENDLETON,

Major, Commissary of Subsistence, and Acting Quartermaster.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT, En route to Shreveport, La., July 7, 1863.

Brigadier General P. O. HEBERT:

GENERAL: You will forward to Major-General Walker instructions from Lieutenant-General Smith that, though he regards the news of doubtful accuracy, General Walker will suspend his movements until its truth or untruth is established.

He must keep his cavalry well to the front, and watch every movement in that direction. You will push forward the establishment of your depots on the Natchitoches road. Should General Walker fall back before superior forces, his line of retreat should be toward Natchitoches, he thinks.

By order of Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith:

GUY M. BRYAN,
Major,and Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DIST. OF TEX., N. MEX., AND ARIZ.,

No. 183.
Houston, July 8, 1863.

VIII. 1. Brigadier-General Bankhead will proceed as rapidly as possible, at the head of two regiments of his command, viz, Gurley's and Hardeman's, and the artillery company of mountain howitzers, all equipped,to support Brigadier-General Steele in the Indian Territory. To expedite his movements, Brigadier-General Bankhead will use the transportation sent to the Northern Sub-District by Captain Burke. If this is not on hand,and loss not arrive in time, and he has not sufficient transportation, Brigadier-General Bankhead will impress the necessary transportation to move these re-enforcements rapidly.

2. Colonel A. W. Terrell, commanding regiment of cavalry, will at once proceed in person to Bonham, Tex., and take command of the Northern Sub-District, in the absence of Brigadier-General Bankhead.

* * * * * *

By command of Major-General Magruder:

EDMUND P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT, Shreveport, La., July 9, 1863.

Major General RICHARD TAYLOR:

GENERAL: I have just returned from Monroe, and find your letters of the 27th ultimo. I congratulate you most cordially upon your brilliant successes at Berwick Bay,and trust that you will succeed in removing all the most valuable stores, and especially the ordnance, to some secure point, as Natchhitoches or Niblett's Bluff.

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*See p.103.

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