462 strong; Eighth U. S.[Colored] Artillery, 1,175 strong; total, 3,150. This proposition is approved and the necessary orders will be issued accordingly.

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

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Port Hudson, La., July 15, 1864.

Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following statement concerning the troops that will remain at this post after the execution of General Orders, No. 88, Department of the Gulf, current series, the provisions of which are being carried into effect: The Ninety-sixth Regiment U. S. Colored Infantry (engineers) is ordered to New Orleans immediately. This will suspend all work on the fortifications here. The Seventy-third, Seventy-fifth, Seventy-ninth, Eighty-fourth, and Ninety-second Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry are ordered to proceed to Morganza immediately (one regiment, Seventy-fifth already reported) according to Special Orders, No. 183, paragraph 9, Department of the Gulf, July 11, 1864, which will leave at this post the Seventy-sixth, Seventy-eighth, and Eighty-first Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry,having for duty 1,188 enlisted men, and the Eighty-eighth and Eighty-ninth Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry (skeletons, mostly non-commissioned officers), unable to furnish and details save their own camp guards. There being no heavy artillery at this post, the Seventy-sixth U. S. Colored Infantry is used to man the guns. There are 367 enlisted men in the regiment for duty,which barely supplies sentinels over the guns - the camp guard -with a few remaining for detachment drill at the pieces. It will be seen that after taking the number of men that belong to the Seventy-sixth United States Colored Infantry from the whole number that will remain for duty - 1,188 - but 821 enlisted men (infantry) remain for all purposes connected with the post. It will be impossible to perform the most ordinary duties and properly maintain guard and outpost lines.

The Second Louisiana Mounted Infantry number 185 for duty, and the outpost duty is at present very loosely performed, even with the utmost exertion and care.

From the above it will be observed that the effective force of this garrison will be as follows:

Infantry for duty (Seventy-eighth and Eighty-first Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry), total,821; infantry for duty (Eighty-eight and Eighty-ninth Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry, skeletons), 185; heavy artillery for duty (Seventh-sixth U. S. Colored Infantry), 367; cavalry (and two light batteries not numbered), 1865

It is respectfully suggested that as the Seventy-third, Seventy-ninth, Eighty-fourth and Ninety-second Regiments, U. S. Colored Infantry are at this post (now awaiting transportation to proceed to Morganza), General Orders, No. 88, be so modified as to permit of the formation of the Seventy-third and Seventy-fifth Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry (new), at this point; or that troops be sent here to replace those ordered away. The insufficiency of the cavalry force here has been the subject of former communication.

JOHN McNEIL,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.