HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS,
New Orleans, La., October 4, 1864.

COMMANDING OFFICER,

Donaldsonville:

Brigadier-General Sherman directs that you co-operate with any troops on the east bank of the river in protecting the Southwood plantation from the enemy's raids. If there are no troops on that side you will give the protection yourself. The Southwood plantation is near Mount Flournoy.

FREDERIC SPEED,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

BATON ROUGE, October 4, 1864.

(Received 2.40 p. m. 6th.)

Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Learning that General Lawler had landed a force at Morganza to demonstrate toward Clinton, and also hearing that General Hodge (rebel) was at Clinton, I sent General Lee out with a cavalry force to capture Hodge and three pieces of artillery left there, if possible. He started last evening at 5 o'clock and would march all night. I expect to hear from him by to-night.

F. J. HERRON,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DISTRICT OF BATON ROUGE AND PORT HUDSON,
Baton Rouge, La., October 4, 1864.

Major R. G. SHAW,

Commanding U. S. Forces at Plaquemine:

I am in receipt of a letter from Captain F. C. Blanchard, engineer in charge of the works at your post, to Captain Hains, chief engineer of the department, speaking of completing owing to lack of men. From your tri-monthly returns I see you have 356 men present for duty, exclusive of seventy-two on daily duty. I conclude the daily duty men include pickets and guards at the post. You will be abel to supply a daily detail for duty on the works of 100 men, and will in future do so, except when the interests of the service may require a diminution of the number, and will increase the detail when possible. There are undoubtedly in your command a number of idle and vagrant negroes. These you will collect together and put to work in the fortifications, giving them in payment the ration allowed to contrabands. A number of these men will be also sent from here as soon as they can be collected together.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. HYDE CLARK,

Major and Chief of Staff.