II. The necessary arrangements will be made by the proper staff officers of the brigade to supply the command on the march.

III. In accordance with instructions from district headquarters, Brigadier-General Parsons, with his brigade, will take up the line of march by the most practicable route on Monday, the 13th instant, for Collinsburg, La., twenty miles south of Walnut Hills, on the Shreveport road.

IV. The necessary arrangements will be made by the proper staff officers of the brigade to supply the command on the march.

By command of Major General S. Price:

L. A. MACLEAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, March 9, 1865.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President Confederate States:

SIR: I have been attacked in the columns of the Richmond Whig. I know that efforts have been made through other journals east of the Mississippi the prejudice the public mind and destroy confidence in the purity of my motives and in my ability to command. Whilst giving my energies to the maintenance and defense of the department specially intrusted to my charge, I have ever felt the deepest interest in the struggle elsewhere, and have never failed to co-operate with the means at my disposal in insuring its success. I have faithfully and honestly, to the extent of my abilities, discharged the great duties confided to me. I do not know that I have given you entire satisfaction. I do know that you are often embarrassed in doing what you believe to be for the general good. I desire to aid and not embarrass you in your action, and request that this letter may be regarded an application to be relieved fro the command of the department whenever you believe that the public interests will be advanced thereby.

I am, most respectfully and sincerely, yours,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, March 9, 1865.

Lieutenant General S. B. BUCKNER,

Commanding District of West Louisiana:

GENERAL: The commanding general directs that if the Sabine can be passed your order Forney's division immediately by the most direct and practicable route to Huntsville, Walker County, Tex., where it will await further instructions from department headquarters. The regiments of Bee's brigade, which are to form part of that division, will be ordered to Huntsville, where they can be dismounted. This disposition of Forney's division is consequent upon the information received from General Walker and forwarded to you concerning the expedition preparing at New Orleans. Churchill's infantry have been ordered to this point. The Missouri infantry and Shelby's cavalry have been brought down to within thirty miles of Shreveport.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. F. BELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.