HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS,
New Orleans, January 27, 1865.

COMMANDING OFFICER BONNET CARRE:

Brigadier-General Sherman directs me to acknowledge the receipt of your report of the 23rd instant, and to say to you that this report shows, if anything, that the picket-post was attacked from below, and it is understood that there were no pickets or sentinels below the station to guard its approach. This lesson, it is hoped, will be advantageous. These picket stations will hereafter be visited daily by an officer, and a daily report made to the commanding officer. A further reconnaissance will be made of the topography of this country, and pickets be placed wherever they are found requisite to prevent smuggling or the invasion of guerrillas. There should be a picket above Gaines' (say two miles) to watch approaches by the River roads and the whole width of the belt of fast land. The picket at Grand Point is not sufficient for this purpose. There should be one near the high road, and an intermediate one between that and Grand Point, and besides the whole width and occasionally the country above should be constantly patrolled by detachments under the lead of an officer. A close watch must be kept upon the persons residing in the country who you report to be in connection with the guerrillas and the guerrillas themselves arrested if possible.

I am, sir, respectfully,

FREDERIC SPEED,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

LEWISBURG, January 27, 1865-5. 30 p. m.

Major General J. J. REYNOLDS,

Little Rock:

Last of the troops left Dardanelle at 10. 30 this a. m. Steamer Alamo and flat with dismounted cavalry arrived here safe and will leave in the morning for Little Rock. Fortieth Iowa Infantry will camp to-night near Galla Rock. Colonel Williams' colored brigade is encamped here. This morning the ice was running quite heavily at Dardanelle, causing great difficulty in crossing the infantry. Will push everything forward to Little Rock rapidly as possible, retaining the section of Second Kansas Battery here till further orders. When the rebels were last heard from they were in vicinity of Caddo Gap, moving south. Troops all well and in good spirits.

Respectfully,

A. H. RYAN,

Colonel.

HEADQUARTERS INDIAN BRIGADE,
Fort Gibson, C. N., January 27, 1865.

Major General J. J. REYNOLDS,

Commanding Department of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark.:

GENERAL: A copy of the inclosed order is forwarded. * When I started from Fort Smith, a former order of General Blunt which had been complained of was revoked, and I was directed to make needful regulations. For your information it is further added that the Indian

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* For order (here omitted) see General Orders, Numbers 4, p. 516.

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