and from the States. The details as to how this force can best reflect that object are left entirely with Colonel Carson. The chiefs of the different departments will furnish Colonel Carson with the necessary supplies and means of transportation. Sixty days' rations of subsistence will be taken with the command. Other rations will be sent from the depot at Fort Union as required. Lieutenant Savage, First Cavalry California Volunteers, will act as acting assistant quartermaster and acting commissary of subsistence.

* * * *

By command of Brigadier-General Carleton:

BEN. C. CUTLER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[MAY 8, 1865. -For General Orders, Numbers 83, War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, reducing the volunteer cavalry forces of the Army, see Vol. XLVI, Part III, p. 1112.]

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,

New Orleans, La., May 8, 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 8th day of May, 1865: Major George Webster reports from Pass Manchac that it is reported that Jeff. Davis and General Hood are in Mississippi, and have been at Summit, Miss. A man who acted as ferryman for a year for the rebels to cross the Mississippi at Tunica states that the only practicable route below Fort Adams is at that point. The skiffs are taken up a bayou protected by willows into Cross Lake to a landing where the highlands at Tunica touch the lake. There they are concealed, and from that point they start with mails and passengers. The common route is to pass around Raccourci Island, either above or below, and entering Old River land somewhere near Williamsport, or crossing the levee at that point into Bayou Latenache, to proceed down that into the Atchafalaya. At the present state of water he says Curry, the present ferryman, can take any person or thing of importance directly across the head of Raccourci Island, which is under water, and thence across the country to the Atchafalaya, thus requiring only a straight crossing of the Mississippi and Old Rivers. The only way to effectually stop this crossing is to take possession of the highlands about Tunica.

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

A. J. JACKSON,

Major, Tenth U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery.

(In absence of Captain S. M. Eaton, chief signal officer, Military Division of West Mississippi.)

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 52.
New Orleans, La., May 8, 1865.

I. All further proceedings under General Orders, Numbers 2, dated headquarters Department of the Gulf, the 17th of January, 1865, and all