its strength, destination, and the time it left New Orleans, and particularly whether any force has left the city for Mobile or the coast of Texas; if so, its strength, commander, and time of departure. In a word, captain, the men you select for this mission are intrusted with the most important duty that a soldier can possibly be called upon to perform. They must bring or send you without delay accurate information of everything and every movement of the great expedition which the enemy is now fitting out at New Orleans, and must immediately dispatch such information to these headquarters. Besides your own men you will also use such other persons for this purpose as you can. If you need money to accomplish your object let the brigadier-general commanding know at once and it shall be furnished you. All important dispatches should be duplicated. You are also charged not to let this matter of getting information from New Orleans interfere with the expedition upon which you have been specially ordered. During your expedition and pending your hearing directly from New Orleans through your own agents, you will dispatch to these headquarters any information you may receive of the enemy's movements in the city or on the river.

Assuring you, captain, that much depends on your own judgment and activity to insure success to the undertaking of which I have written above, I am, very respectfully, yours,

D. F. BOYD,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS BRENT'S CAVALRY BRIGADE,
Lodi Plantation, March 11, 1865.

Captain J. G. CLARKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: Since the picket report of this morning the following intelligence has reached these headquarters from Pointe Coupee up to 8th instant: Transports still pass down the river loaded with troops; on the 5th one and on the 6th two loaded with infantry, and on the 7th a boat loaded with cavalry, passed down. Four regiments of negroes and about 100 white cavalry are at Morganza, under the command of Brigadier-General McKane [McKean], General Ullmann having gone down the river. The garrison is very quiet, making no raids into the interior above Morganza. The river is rising very rapidly.

Very respectfully,

J. L. BRENT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS BRENT'S BRIGADE,
March 12, 1865.

Captain J. G. CLARKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: The Red River and Atchafalaya fronts were quiet up to 6 a. m. yesterday, and in the preceding twenty-four hours the Red River at its mouth had risen only six inches, being a much less ratio of rise than for the last six days. Up to night before last all was quiet on the Bayou Teche and Berwick City. Owing to the high winds and stormy weather my scouts from the La Fourche, who have to cross the