feet six inches being possible by the circuitous channel via Captain Point. The point where obstructions have been prepared on the Apalachicola, thirty miles from its mouth, is doubtless at or near Iola.

M. D. McALESTER,

Captain Engineers and Chief Engineer.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,

New Orleans, La., October 17, 1864.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Mil. Div. of West Mississippi, New Orleans, La.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit to your consideration a statement of the information received at this office this 17th day of October, 1864, from the following source, a report from Lieutenant G. G. Curtiss, Baton Rouge, La., October 14:

The District of Louisiana, commanded by Colonel John S. Scott, extends from Homochitto River on the north to Pearl River on the east, the Gulf of Mexico, on the south, and the Mississippi river on the west. The force in this district is estimated at present at 1,950 men and four guns. Colonel Powers' regiment is most of the time in the rear of Port Hudson and Bayou Sara. Between Rodney and Jackson is Mabry's brigade of three regiments, in all about 2,500 men. It is reported by a spy that fifty launches are secreted near Brookhaven, Miss., ready for moving at any time. October 9 the rebels swam 500 or 800 head of cattle from the west to the east side of the Mississippi at the foot of Dead Man's Bend. Large stores of supplies are reported at Monticello, on Pearl River, and Mount Carmel, thirty miles east from there. At Monticello is a pontoon bridge, guarded by one company. At Bayou Barbary is a man named Lanther, who keeps a flat-boat ferry for conveying contraband goods across the bayou which come from New Orleans through the lake. The informant saw sixty carbines and 60,000 percussion caps at the house of one Alcus, at Tangipahoa, smuggled through that way.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FRANK W. MARSTON,

Major, Signal Corps, U. S. Army.

[Indorsement.]

Captain MOREY:

Please ascertain what districts the within-named points are adjacent to.

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 281.
New Orleans, October 17, 1864.

* * * *

5. The Fourth U. S. Colored Cavalry will be dismounted immediately upon the receipt of this order at Port Hudson, and their cavalry arms and equipments turned in. Infantry arms and equipments will be