15. In pursuance of instructions from headquarters Department of the Gulf, Companies E and G, First Indiana Heavy Artillery, will at once be put in readiness to embark and proceed up Re River. These companies will turn over their heavy ordnance and ordnance stores and public horses, except such as are necessary to enable them to conform their transportation to the provisions of General Orders, Numbers 22, current series, from headquarters Military Division of West Mississippi. Lieutenant Colonel William Roy, and such of the battalion staff as are here, will go with the companies ordered to embark. The companies indicated will be subject to the orders of Brigadier-General Benton.

* * *

By command of Brigadier General M. K. Lawler:

EDWARD HEMINGWAY,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, May 30, 1865.

Major General F. J. HERRON,

Commanding Northern Division of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, La.:

SIR: I am instructed by the major-general commanding to say that the reason of the issue of the order transferring your headquarters to West Louisiana is that he has no other general officer at his disposal to whom he can confide the management of matters in the Red River country during the important period required for paroling Kirby Smith's army and receiving the surrendered public property. As soon as that has been accomplished you will be ordered to return, and if in the meantime your resignation should be accepted, a successor will at once be appointed. I am further directed to request that you will at once be appointed. I am further directed to request that you will furnish Brigadier-General Andrews, commissioner for paroling, &c., and the staff officers assigned to the duty of receiving surrendered property, with every facility within your reach, in order that their labors may be performed as promptly and thoroughly as possible. I send you herewith a number of copies of General Orders, Numbers 61, for general distribution among the citizens of the Red River country. * If any newspapers are still extant there, it would be well to require them to give the order the widest circulation possible. The commanding general desires also that the transports conveying the troops up the Red River should return with all dispatch. If not unreasonably delayed thereby, they may be permitted to bring down any cotton that is ready for shipment. The decision of this question is left to your own judgment.

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

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, May 30, 1865.

Major General F. J. HERRON,

Commanding Northern Division of Louisiana, Baton Rouge:

SIR: Captain Fitzhugh has been requested to furnish as convoys one tin-clad for the Washita, two for Red River, and one iron-clad to go as

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*See 26th, p. 604.

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