[CHAP. XXXVIII.

the major-general commanding to say that the camp of deserters must be broken up at all hazards, and to direct you to take all of your troops, if necessary, and march against them, and make a clean sweep of the camp, after which you will send the troops down, as before ordered. You will, of course, use every exertion to effect their extermination as soon as possible.

The general is ordered by Lieutenant-General Smith to send all of his available force to Louisiana, to effect a junction with General Taylor, and the troops he ordered from your sub-district are necessary to protect the coast, if he has to take troops from this vicinity.

Banks' army in Lower Louisiana, with the sea near its base, can in one week be thrown upon any point on the coast of Texas. In order to afford you some relief, he shall apply to the Legislature to have the Frontier State Regiment turned over to you, and he wishes you also to do what you can to effect a transfer. He has also written to Governor Murrah on the subject of conscripting the State troops for the war, or a longer period than their present term of service, and has requested the Governor to make another call to fill the number at present to 10,000. No recent intelligence of importance received.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

STEPHEN D. YANCEY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DISTRICT OF TEXAS, &C.,

Numbers 303.
Houston, November 7, 1863.

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VIII. The major-general commanding having learned that there is a report in circulation that he intended to abandon and give up the defense of Saluria and its vicinity, he hereby announces it to be untrue, and that it is his intention to defend this, as every other point, in the most determined manner, and to the last extremity.

He takes this opportunity also of cautioning the public against the many rumors that may sometimes arise from the changes in the location of troops, but which generally owe their origin to the invention of luke-warm and designing individuals.

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By command of Major-General Magruder:

EDMUND P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SHREVEPORT, LA.,

November 8, 1863.

Major General RICHARD TAYLOR,

Commanding District of Western Louisiana:

MY DEAR GENERAL: I inclose you an article cut from the Louisiana Democrat of the 4th.* I feel convinced that it will only be necessary to call your attention to these attacks to have been controlled,; being made at your headquarters, they go abroad with the impression of your sanction or as being the re-echo of your views. I know not why it is that the people of that section for whom I have exerted myself most, and for the defense of whose country I have made most sacrifices, are

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*Not found.

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