at Scullyville and old Fort Coffee. Their travel is from Gibson to Fort Smith, on worth side of the Arkansas.

Colonel Watie, with a cavalry force of Cherokees, has been sent to intercept courier and trains on that road, and to create as much excitement in their rear in the Cherokee Nation as possible.

I am moving this morning in the direction of North Fork, via Camp Johnston, hear Canadian, where there is an abundance of forage.

I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,

DOUGLAS H. COOPER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

OCTOBER 12, 1863.

Brigadier General W. R. BOGGS,

Chief of Staff, Shreveport, La.:

GENERAL: I have just seen an order from Lieutenant-General Smith forbidding any cotton to be purchased for a higher price than 20 cents per pound. To-day for arms and army supplies which have arrived on the Rio Grande, on contracts of Major Hart, approved by me, and those faithfully fulfilled by the contractors without the advance of a dollar or a pound of cotton, I ordered Major Bloomfield, after learning from Major Hart that he could not fulfil his contracts, to purchase cotton enough to do so. This was before the schedule made its appearance, and he informs me that he has purchased at market price. If this is disapproved or interrupted, I know not what to do. The planters are not bound in any way by the schedule; their cotton is under the law of impressment, must be appraised by arbitration, and no one in his sensers doubts but that it would be appraised at the market value, at least. Cotton in the hands of holders other than producers is liable to the schedule price, but this order was given and the most of the cotton, I am informed, purchased before the schedule made its appearance. I have written to the Governor, telling him that his letter has produced embarrassment to me, and requesting him to give such advice as will extricate me from it. I don't think he looked at the whole of the impressment law.

Am I to understand that the arms lately arrived, for which 1 ordered a contract to be made, are to sent to Major [T. G.] Rhett direct? If so, I must state, that the lieutenant-general may be informed of it an once, that I have 7,000 troops without arms, and of the rest only four regiments are well armed; and the I am informed by Major Snead, of Major-General Price's staff, that his troops (now Holmes') are now well armed.

I hope the general commanding will allow these arms to be distributed among the Texas troops in this district, for whom I caused them to be imported, or that at least they have a pro rata share of them.

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

J. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF TEXAS, &C.,
Houston, October 12, 1863.

Brigadier-General SLAUGHTER,

Brownsville;

GENERAL: I am instructed by Major-General Magruder to direct you to receive Brigadier-General Bee from the command of the Western