manufactory, a foundry for cannot shot and shell, a factory for percussion caps, a powder factory, and the headquarters of the Treasury Department for the Trans-Mississippi Department. Lead is brought to Marshall from Mexico. At Shreveport is a foundry for casting cannon shot and shell; also the depot of clothing, which is full of blankets, shoes, and other clothing for the Trans-Mississippi Department. All shoemakers and tailors are obliged to work there. A breast-work surrounds the city, with embrasures at intervals of 100 yards for guns. No guns are now mounted. No troops are there except a provost guard. General Kirby Smith's headquarters are at Shreveport. At Minden, twenty-eight miles from Shreveport, were all the infantry except Magruder's division, which was formerly commanded by Price. General Price is shelved. He lost 12,000 veterans, and brought back 10,000 raw recruits and conscripts from Missouri. He lost all his teams and much of his artillery there. Marmaduke's division was at Little Prairie, eight miles from Washington, Ark., and 110 miles from Shreveport, numbering, all told, as infantry not over 18,000. At Meriden [Minden, La.,] were Watkins' [Walker's] division, 6,000 to 7,000; Polignac's division, 6,000 to 7,000; Cameron's battery, six guns; Nims; old battery, six guns. Several batteries have been ordered to Marshall to recruit their horses. All this infantry has been ordered to Alexandria. General Buckner (whose headquarters are at Natchitoches, 100 miles from Alexandria) came down to Alexandria with informant upon business relating to the military movement. General Thomas' brigade numbers not over 2,000. His infantry is camped four miles back of Alexandria on Williams' plantation. One company of heavy artillery, six guns (called Bell Battery), and one company of light artillery are encamped at Pineville, opposite Alexandria. Collins' company of scouts are on the east side of the Atchafalaya. Two companies of scouts, called steam-boat companies, and two other companies are along the west bank of the Atchafalaya, under command of Major Norman White. At Alexandria, on the opposite bank of the River, between the two falls, is a fort, finished, mounting four 5-inch rifled, and four 8-inch smooth-bore pieces. This fort is well equipped and supplied. All the guns bear down the River. The other fort is opposite the upper fall, and is a duplicate of the first.

Another fort on the Alexandria side is being constructed between the falls, to be armed with four guns from the Westfield, now en route from Houston. Five hundred or 600 negroes are now at work upon this fortification; 500 or 600 negroes are also at work on Druett's Bluffs thirty-five miles above Grand Ecore, on the opposite side of the River, upon a work calculated to mount two mortars and two 8-inch guns. The light works at Grand Ecore are of little value. The raft obstructions and works at the mouth of the Cut-off, thirty-five miles below Shreveport, will probably be abandoned. The crops in Louisiana and Texas have been fine, mostly corn; some wheat in Texas. The opinion prevails among military men that an advance will be attempted this season by way of Alexandria. The concentration of troops there is to meet this movement. General Polignac is on his way to Paris, France, on ninety days' furlough. Scurry's division is along the Black River. Harrison's scouts are along the Tensas River and Arkansas line. Denison's cavalry regiment is along the Arkansas River and its mouth. Parsons' cavalry brigade has gone to Texas. All Texas cavalry except Scurry's division has gone to Texas. Most of the Arkansas cavalry is roaming through Arkansas. Most of the Louisiana cavalry has gone to Texas. Want of forage is the cause. The legislature is in session at Shreveport. Governor Allen has just

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