opinion, and as I am not responsible for the boats or the lives of the men, I do not feel inclined to urge our friends of the navy over what they may consider dangerous ground.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. A. CAMERON,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding District.

[Indorsement.]

DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS,

September 13, 1864.

Approved and forward to department headquarters for information.

The horses captured on Bayou Pigeon are those of our horses captured by the enemy from Gentilly's plantation a few days previous. The destruction of boats, &c., now going on in the lakes and bayous is in pursuance of instructions from these headquarters, and will be continued until all means of navigation are taken from the enemy. As to the torpedoes said to exist on Belle River (Lower Grand), that is a point which will soon be cleared up. As soon as the operations I have now under way are completed, Belle River and the whole peninsula of rebels and copperheads behind Lake Verret will receive marked attention.

T. W. SHERMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

THIBODEAUX, September 9, 1864.

(Received 9.10 a.m.)

A part of some forty rebels entered the village of Labadieville, nine miles from here, last night about 10 o'clock. Our patrol found them and brought in word immediately. Dispatched Major Conover, of the Sixteenth Indiana Mounted Infantry, with about sixty men, all I could raise without waiting to relieve the pickets. A dispatch from him at 4 o'clock this morning says that the rebels murdered Mr. Guerrin, who was the most active, energetic, and valuable Union fried we had in the whole district. They robbed the place of a large amount of goods, all they could carry away, and left. Major Conover is now in pursuit. The dismounting of the Eighteenth New York Cavalry necessitates me to ask for cavalry. I cannot protect the points, clear the country, or punish these rascals without.

R. A. CAMERON,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

THIBODEAUX, September 9, 1864. (Received 7.30 p.m.)

Major Conover has returned, bringing back 8 horses and 2 guns, left by the enemy. He pursued them through the woods belly deep to his horses until they reached a little bayou, name not known, where they took their skiffs and went into Lake Verret. They are the same party which surprised the scouts of the Sixteenth Indiana the other night, and are camped on Little Bayou Pigeon. While the guerrillas,