7. The Sixty-eighth U. S. Colored Infantry is hereby assigned to the division of colored infantry commanded by Brigadier General John P. Hawkins. The commanding officer will report accordingly without delay.

* * *

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

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,
New Orleans, La., February 20, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Military Division of West Mississippi:

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit to your consideration the following report of information received at this office this 20th day of February, 1865: Mr. Anthony R. Roessler has resided at Austin, Tex. Makes the following statement: Three small iron-works in Texas, at Jefferson, Cass County; Anderson, Anderson County, and Rusk, Rusk County. Large deposits of saltpeter in Llano, Burnet, and Bexar Counties; saltpeter works in operation in Burnet County; Government ordnance foundry in Houston (repairing forges, caissons, &c., and casting shot and shall); State foundry in Austin (casting two guns per month, of Mexican metal); inferior ordnance foundry, Shreveport (casts no ordnance); State percussion-cap manufactory, Austin (1,000,000 caps per month, inferior); musket factory, Bastrop (rifles, pistols, bayonets, &c.); government repair shops, Marshall; ordnance depot, Marshall small powder factories throughout the State. Major General J. G. Walker commands District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Western Sub-District, 1,200, General J. E. Slaughter, Brownsville; Middle Sub-District, 5,000, General Drayton, Colombus; Eastern District, 6,000, General P. O. Hebert, Houston. The troops for coast defense from Sabine Pass to Matagorda, 4,500. Houston, Austin, and San Antonio are all slightly fortified. Virginia Point, opposite Galveston, is being strongly fortified. An attack on Galveston daily expected. No indication of evacuating the city. Informant was told at provost-marshal's office on Brazos Island that the American consul at Matamoras had been ordered to leave in three days. Colonel Allston, inspector-general on General Kirby Smith's staff, lately said in Austin that Western Texas, if invaded, would be abandoned without defense. Deserters from Mobile state there are about 4,000 troops in and around that city. Other information from the mainly confirmatory of previous reports.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. M. EATON,

Captain and Chief Signal Officer.

MORGANZA, February 20, 1865.

(Received 6. 10 p. m.)

Major-General CANBY:

I am here and will be in New Orleans to-morrow morning with my command.

A. J. SMITH,

Major-General, Commanding.