general of the department or district it is evident to my mind that it is intended to be in a measure discretionary, and, therefore, to a certain extent a constructive one; and this view becomes still more apparent to my mind when it is considered that without such a construction of the law many loyal people who have not the accidental advantage of living within the picket-lines of a station would have to do without some of the necessaries of life, or depend on the enemy for them. This would be neither justice nor equity. The line, therefore, having to be measurably a constructive one, the next point that naturally occurs is, how it is to be constructed, or what views are to govern the commanding general in the publication of the required order. There is always a certain extent of territory over which the troops of occupation have a dominant control, though much of it may not be within the picket-lines, and I should say that that are of territory over which the troops of occupation have so commanding an influence as to keep it clear of the enemy, and have so commanding an influence as to keep it clear of the enemy, and have such a surveillance over the population thereof as the enemy, and have such a surveillance over the population thereof as to effectually prevent violations of the rules of war, can judiciously be included within said line. To apply this rule to this portion of the Department of the Gulf I would give it as my opinion, though with some hesitation as to some of the points, that such a line might commence at the mouth of the Atchafalaya, thence to Brashear City, thence by Lake Palourde to Belle or Grand River, thence up that river to Plaquemine Bayou, thence down said bayou to the picket-line of Plaquemine, thence up the Mississippi River to include a certain width upon the right bank to the upper picket-line of Morganza. One [on] the left bank of the Mississippi, to commence at the upper picket-line of Port Hudson, thence along said picket-line to that of Baton Rouge, including the route of land communication between the two places and a certain width on left bank of the river; thence to the junction of Bayou Manchac and the Amite River, thence down the Amite to Lake Maurepas, thence along the western and southern shore of said lake to Pass Manchac, thence along the whole line of shore, including the Rigolets, down to the Balize. This line, combined with restrictions as to landing places, would probably meet with the intention of the law.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. W. SHERMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, October 4, 1864.

Brigadier-General SHERMAN,

Commanding Defenses of New Orleans:

GENERAL: I am directed by the commanding general to send you the inclosed papers* and to request, if convenient with your views upon the subject, that you send a small expeditionary force from Donaldsonville to Southwood plantation to cover it from the raid spoken of. General Herron has no force [in the] vicinity or near or the matter would be placed in his hands. Southwood is twelve miles above Donaldsonville on east bank of the river.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. D. BRAKE,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*Not found.

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