4. In answer to applications for information and complaints of exactions and other wrongs by speculators, it is announced that persons who own or control products of insurrectionary districts are permitted to come within the lines for the purpose of disposing of their products under the eight section of the act of Congress approved July 2, 1864, and that a pass in the form prescribed in General Orders, Numbers 80. will insure their protection unless forfeited by bad faith in procuring the pass or by misconduct while within our lines.

By order of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 2. New Orleans, La., January 3, 1865.

1. The District of Natchez will comprise the country east and west of the Mississippi River south of the thirty-second of latitude and north of the mouth of the Red River.

2. Brigadier General J. W. Davidson, U. S. Volunteers, is assigned to the command of the District of Natchez, and will report direct to the headquarters Department of Mississippi.

By order of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 3. New Orleans, La., January 3, 1865.

* * * * * * *

VII. Special Orders, Numbers 205,* paragraph 6, series of 1864, from these headquarters, is hereby so far modified as to require the First Louisiana Cavalry, the First Texas Cavalry, and the Second New York [Veteran] Cavalry to report for orders to the commanding general Department of the Gulf.

* * * * * * *

By order of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,

New Orleans, January 3, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I have the honor to call the attention of the major-general commanding division to the following state of facts: During the last year the plantations on the Mississippi River have been leased to irresponsible speculators. Their crops having failed, they have run away. The mockery of State government now existing here is powerless to assist in the necessary repairs of levees. The negro resident population has

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* See Vol. XLI, Part IV, p. 764.

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26 R R-VOL XLVIII, PT I