down their arms at the first appearance of the enemy. This is the unanimous opinion of the brigade and regimental commanders of Forney's division whom I have this day consulted. The cavalry are still firm and quiet, but only waiting for what they consider the inevitable result, viz, surrender.

Respectfully, &c.,

J. G. WALKER,

Major-General, Commanding Division of Cavalry.

HOUSTON, May 16, 1865.

General E. KIRBY SMITH,

Commanding Trans-Mississippi Department, Shreveport, La.:

GENERAL: Major-General Walker refuses to give up the command for the present to Brigadier-General Bee, though he was informed that the order came from department headquarters. I wish Debray's regiment ordered to Harrisburg. A portion of the garrison at Galveston mutinied on Sunday. This arrangement will probably prevent another mutiny and save Houston. It is a burning injustice to me to deprive me of the command of the cavalry under these trying circumstances.

J. B. MAGRUDER,

Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,

Numbers 47.
Shreveport, La., May 17, 1865.

All orders granting exemption from impressment for wagons and teams are suspended for sixty days.

By command of General E. Kirby Smith:

S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FORCES FRONT LINES,
Alexandria, May 17, 1865.

Captain SAM. FLOWER,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to respectfully inform the major-general commanding that Captain Murphy, commanding the outpost on the Teche, a good and reliable officer, reports that the Sixteenth Army Corps, U. S. Army, is under marching orders at New Orleans for Red River, and I have but little double that when the flag-of-truce boat, with Lieutenant-Colonel Sprague, U. S. Army, on board, goes out of the river they will enter. I should judge from the tenor of my information that the advance against this front has already commenced. The position is such that the enemy can reach Alexandria in forty-eight hours. In fact Brigadier-General Farrar, U. S. Army, has already advanced on Harrisonburg, on the Ouachita, and captured the pickets and public property there. Our communications with our pickets and their morale is such that no substantial reliance can be placed on further information until the enemy is in the immediate vicinity of Alexandria.

Respectfully,

W. G. VINCENT,

Colonel, Commanding.