force of any consequence on the east side of the river to use for this purpose; still it will be well for you to be in readiness should General Benton need assistance. He has been advised accordingly. In case of necessity you can seize any boat coming down the river to transport troops

E. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

BATON ROUGE, August 4, 1864

Brigadier General M. K. LAWLER:

I expect the enemy to attack me in force to-morrow morning. Re-enforce me if you can with at least two regiments.

W. P. BENTON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Morganza, August 4, 1864.

General W. P. BENTON,

Baton Rouge:

Your dispatch asking for two regiments is received. Colonel Slack, with the Forty-seventh Indiana and Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, will be down on the Nebraska by daylight unless we receive contrary orders from New Orleans.

M. K. LAWLER

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Morganza, August 4, 1864.

Captain FARRINGTON,

Aide-de-Camp, Major-General Reynold's Headquarters:

General Benton telegraphs me that he expects an attack from the enemy in force to-morrow morning and asks a re-enforcement of two regiments. I have the Nebraska here and can send them without difficulty and will do so without directions to the contrary. I have directed Colonel Slack to hold himself in readiness to embark with his two regiments at a moment's notice. Answer.

M. K. LAWLER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., August 4, 1864.

Major General F. STEELE,

Commanding, &c., Little Rock, Ark.:

SIR: Your dispatches of the 26th and 29th of July received. So far everything looks to me as if the rebel forces in your neighborhood and those farther down intend to cross the Mississippi and form a junction on the eastern shore for the purpose of either joining Hood's force in Georgia or striking in a southeasterly direction. The rebel force