ALEXANDRIA, LA., June 21, 1865.

Brigadier General JAMES W. FORSYTH,

Chief of Staff, Mil. Div. of the Southwest, New Orleans:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of Your authority to go to Grand Ecore and shall proceed to that point to-day. The river is falling rapidly above, but there will be no particular difficulty in getting General Merritt's cavalry forward. The regiments from New Orleans and Baton Rouge have sufficient forage, but I have my doubts about those coming from Vicksburg; hence I urge the sending forward of the supply asked for in my dispatch of the 17th instant. There is no forage here and none can be purchased. The post quartermaster, Captain Smith, informs me that he sent requisitions to Colonel Sawtelle on the 17th instant for a supply. There are two regiments here, the Seventh Indiana and part of the Second Wisconsin, belonging to General Custer. They have forage until to-morrow only. The Second Illinois has gone up to Shreveport. The Fourth Wisconsin and First Louisiana have not yet been heard from.

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

J. R. WEST,

Brigadier-General.

[First indorsement.]

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE SOUTHWEST,
New Orleans, June 27, 1865.

Respectfully referred to Colonel Sawtelle, chief quartermaster, for his information. Please return this paper.

By command of Major General P. H. Sheridan:

E. B. PARSONS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Second indorsement.]

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF QUARTERMASTER,

MILITARY DIVISION OF THE SOUTHWEST,

New Orleans, La., June 28, 1865.

Respectfully returned as requested. Ample supplies of forage have been sent to Alexandria.

C. G. SAWTELLE,

Colonel and Chief Quartermaster, Mil. Div. of the Southwest.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 165.
New Orleans, La., June 21, 1865.

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16. Brigadier General James C. Veatch, U. S. Volunteers, will proceed to Shreveport, La., and relieve Major General F. J. Herron of the command of the forces in West Louisiana. Upon being so relieved, General Herron will proceed to this city and report at these headquarters.

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By command of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.