necessary, to replace General Bailey by another general officer, to retain either Brigadier General E. A. Car or Brevet Brigadier-General Littlejohn, now daily expected at New Orleans. Be pleased to inform Captain Dyer accordingly.

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

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

OFFICE OF PROVOST -MARSHAL,

Brashear City, La., March 8, 1865.

Colonel S. JONES,

Commanding Post:

SIR: I have the honor to report that a colored man named Michael James has just been sent to me from Fort Buchanan, at which place be arrived about an hour since. He came from William Hays' plantation about one mile the other side of Centerville. He left there yesterday morning. He reports that Murphy's company are encamped on Harding's plantation, above Franklin, and numbers about 100 men. Captain Graversburg's company is stationed at Pattersonville and along the road between here and that place, with about the same number of men that Murphy has. He says that there is quite a force at Appaloosa, but knows nothing about it more than what he has heard others say. He says that they threatened to shoot him because he asked Hays for our lines. He says that he would like to enlist in some company. Please inform me what disposition you wish me to make of him.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. E. SHEPARD,

First Lieutenant and Provost-Marshal.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, March 8, 1865.

Major General F. J. HERRON,

Commanding Northern Division of Louisiana:

Your communication of the 4th instant, concerning an arrangement for clearing the country above Bayou Plaquemine of jayhawkers and inclosing correspondence of Captain Ratliff, C. S. Army, and Mr. Brow, has been received. The major-general commanding desires to leave the matter at your discretion. He requests me to say that you can enter into the arrangement if you choose. He thinks that there is great danger of bad faith. His own opinion of the matter is that it is better to have the guerrillas in regular open hostility than as they are. I return the letters of Ratliff and Barrow, copies having been retained at these headquarters.

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

GEO. B. DRAKE,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

BATON ROUGE, March 8, 1865.

(Received 12. 40 p. m.)

Major General S. A. HURLBUT,

Commanding:

The main body of the cavalry arrived at the Comite River, although they have twice occupied Clinton and Jackson, driving Powers' regi-