OPPOSITE DONALDSONVILLE, March 28, 1865.

(Received 10. 30 a. m.)

Lieutenant P. J. MALONEY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

Another party sent in pursuit of Captain Darling returned. They say further pursuit is useless, as the rebels are too far away to be overtaken. Answer immediately whether the pursuit is to be continued. I wait in this office for answer.

E. BYRNE,

Major, Eighteenth New York Cavalry.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, No. 149. Washington, March 28, 1865.

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27. Captain Horace D'B. Cutler, assistant adjutant-general, will report in person without delay to the commanding general Department of Arkansas for assignment to duty with the Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, Seventh Army Corps.

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32. Captain S. M. Cambern, assistant adjutant-general of volunteers, will report by letter to the commanding general Department of Arkansas, and in person to the commanding officer of U. S. forces at Pine Bluff, Ark., for assignment to duty.

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By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS,

Little Rock, March 28, 1865.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Headquarters Military Division of the Missouri:

Herewith I forward papers, 1 to 12,* which will give the major-general commanding the military division some idea of the present state of the department and what has taken place in it since I assumed command, December 22, 1864. My instructions from headquarters Military Division of West Mississippi were to assign to the posts to be held defensive garrisons, including all arms, and detach all the force possible for field operations. Nearly 8,000 effective men, infantry and cavalry, have been transferred from the department-8,925 present and absent (see No. 1)-leaving it strictly on the defensive. For estimate of defensive garrisons, see Nos. 2 and 3. No. 4 gives in detail the disposition of the infantry. No. 5 gives an exhibit of the condition of the cavalry, and by which it appears that the posts have been much weakened in horses to comply with the order in No. 6. The horses therein referred to as being en route from Saint Louis have not been heard from. The Separate Brigade of cavalry (see No. 5) is entirely dismounted; it is not

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*For No. 1, see Reynolds to Christensen, March 18, p. 1208; No. 2, Reynolds to Christensen February 6, p. 756; No. 3, Reynolds to Halleck, February 8, p. 776; No. 7, Reynolds to Halleck, March 22, p. 1236; and No. 12, Reynolds to Christensen, March 18, p. 1209. Inclosures Nos. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are not found as such.

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