ity than the commanding officer of this department you will furnish me with a copy of them, and you will still remain in command of the troops until further orders, as I shall object to a compliance of those instructions until the crossing of the troops shall have been effected.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Governor.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, August 15, 1864.

Major General S. B. BUCKNER, District of West Louisiana:

GENERAL: I am directed by General Smith to inclose to you the accompanying letter to General Taylor.* If the circumstances are true, as represented by General Walker, as to the movements of General Taylor, you will hand or cause to be handed to General Taylor the accompanying letter to him. If not truce, you will retain the letter.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, &c.,

GUY M. BRYAN,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Harrisonburg, August 16, 1864.

Major-General WALKER,

Commanding the District of Western Louisiana:

GENERAL: I will remain with the troops at this point for the present, and will cross the Mississippi with them unless I receive additional news or further orders to cross at once. The pontoon boats have arrived, and the troops will be moved to a convenient point for crossing at once. To insure success we require cavalry to picket the immense extent of country, and I hope none of the cavalry now here will be moved off until after the movement is over, or at least has been attempted. It will also be important for us to have an infantry force left at hand or in the vicinity of Harrisonburg. I therefore request that such portion of Thomas' brigade as is armed will be sent to this point to hold the country. If Thomas' brigade is not in condition to be moved cannot Debray's brigade be sent here for this purpose?

I respectfully request that you will forward the substance of this communication to the department headquarters. I have seen all of the officers of your old division; they seem to be in fine spirits and well inclined to undertake the movement.

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

R. TAYLOR,

Lieutenant-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 22.]

NEAR HARRISONBURG, August 18, 1864-10 p. m.

General E. KIRBY SMITH:

GENERAL: I have the honor to state that information just received from the Mississippi River satisfies me of the impracticability and impossibility of crossing any body of troops. The notoriety which the projected movement has obtained has caused the enemy to make such dispositions of his gun-boats as effectually to defeat the attempt to cross at or near the point for which arrangements were in progress. I have dis-

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*Inclosure Numbers 21, next, ante.

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