HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., September 5, 1863.

Major E. SURGET, Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: Your letter of the 3rd instant, dated 12 p. m., has been received. Lieutenant-General Smith directs that if Major's brigade be sufficiently near to be of service, that Major-General Taylor shall deflect it from its course, to be used in his operations in the direction of Fort Beauregard.

When the necessity of its service there is no longer needed, it will resume its march to this place.

I remain, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. R. BOGGS,

Brigadier-General, and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF TEXAS, &C.,
Near Millican, September 5, 1863.

Brigadier General HENRY E. McCULLOCH,

Commanding Northern Sub-District:

GENERAL: I am instructed by Major-General Magruder to say that you will at once proceed as rapidly as possible to Bonham, Tex., and assume command of the Northern Sub-District. Please reply.

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

EMDUND P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SABINE RIVER, TEXAS,

Orange, September 5, 1863.

Captain EDMUND P. TURNER, Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I would most respectfully call your information to a matter that has come under my observation while on a tour of inspection in my department, relative to the facilities the Government possesses for the transit of its materials of war on the Sabine River.

Arriving at Beaumont the night of the 3rd instant, I found that place to be the terminus of the Texas and New Orleans Railroad, leaving 20 miles to the proper terminus of that road lying idle for want of proper attention. The Government at present is compelled to submit to extortionate rates of transit and delays and inconveniences without number by running a boat from Beaumong, by the Neches River, to Sabine Lake, and thence to Niblett's Bluff, via the Sabine River, increasing the distance 40 miles, which could be decreased to 40 miles and a certain mode of transit if the railroad from Beaumont to Orange was put in running order. At times and often the boats in this district are delayed by grounding upon the bars at the mouths of the Neches and Sabine Rivers, which circumstance might materially frustrate the calculations of the major-general commanding if he should desire the rapid concentration of re-enforcements in this vicinity. By having this 20 miles of road made available, the facilities of the major-general would be increased for the defense of the Eastern Sub-District of Texas, and might be the means of checking the advance of the enemy should he make an attempt in this quarter.

I consider this matter of the great importance, and would most respectfully recommend the major-general commanding to order Cap-

14 R R-VOL XXVI, PT II