well as assisting in the checking of the advance into the interior of any parties of the enemy who might land on the shore.

I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. ALEX. GORDON,

Captain of Cav., Asst. Adjt. and Insp. General, Sea-Coast of Mississippi.

[Inclosure A.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. LOGAN'S BRIGADE OF CAVALRY, Numbers --.
October 15, 1863.

By virtue of a special agreement made with Messrs. Barriere & Bros., of New Orleans, and their agents, by the Secretary of War, dated December 19, 1862, to furnish supplies for the Confederate Army, to be paid in cotton, Mr. T. M. Ginnis, and agent of above house, having agreed to deliver at Holmesville, Miss., 5,000 blankets, 5,000 cavalry boots, 5,000 hats, and other army supplies, to be paid for in cotton, Mr. Charles Shirling, brigade quartermaster, is hereby detailed to receive said supplies, and superintend the shipment of cotton to pay for them, not to exceed 500 bales; said cotton to be shipped from Madisonville, Saint Tammany Parish, Louisiana.

All officers and scouts from this command are hereby directed to permit the transportation and safe delivery of such supplies and cotton as said C. Shirling may pass, and no other.

Charles Shirling will report promptly to these headquarters any abuse that may be made of above privilege. He will also call upon any military authorities to prevent it by seizure and confiscation. He will retain this order, and return same to these headquarters, as here ordered to do so.

JNO. L. LOGAN,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

[Inclosure B.]

DECEMBER 19, 1862.

Messrs. Barriere & Bross., of New Orleans, having contracted to furnish supplies, to be paid for in cotton, and delivered at Ponchatoula, or some other agreed point within the Confederate lines, all commanding officers of the Confederate States and all officers of the quartermaster's department are hereby directed to permit transportation and safe delivery for all such cotton to the point within the Confederate lines where the said supplies are to be received, and furnish any facilities in their power to the above-named parties or their agents to execute their agreement.

The bearer of this, Mr. Charles Jones, represents the house of Barriere & Bross.

J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

[Indorsement Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
Mobile, Ala., November 19, 1863.

Respectfully forwarded for information of War Department through General Johnston.

Attention particularly called to the within permits, one purporting to emanate from the honorable Secretary of War and the other [signed] by Colonel Logan.

DABNEY H. MAURY,

Major-General, Commanding.

Forwarded by General Johnston to Adjutant and Inspector General.