tion thereof, might be retained at Morganza. The general leaves it to your discretion to act in the matter as you think best and, if necessary, run over in a special boat to Morganza and see how matters really stand.

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

BATON ROUGE, November 24, 1864-4 p. m. (Received 5 p. m.)

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

The cavalry brigade at Morganza reported at last report 2,168 men for duty, and 1,662 serviceable horses. (See report of Brigadier-General Roberts, chief of cavalry, November 22, 1864.) Of these I have now arrived here only 1,150, leaving at least 500 horses there of the brigade, and near 1,000 men. I don't see how the enemy can be everywhere, and a little enterprise on Ullmann's part would save him annoyance from guerrillas. If I can get a boat, I will probably run up to-night. Tell the general I am working hard and feel hopeful of being in good order, though Lee's sickness throws all the work on me. When Bailey comes I will be well off. I can leave positively on the 27th of November. Love to all.

J. W. DAVIDSON,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Little Rock, Ark., November 24, 1864.

Major General J. J. REYNOLDS,

Commanding Military Division of West Mississippi:

GENERAL: It is my opinion that the Arkansas can be relied on as a means of transportation for supplies to Fort Smith. The river is at present navigable and supplies have been forward by steamers sufficient to last until there shall be another rise, when a year's supply can be sent at once. If there had been a year's supply here for Fort Smith last winter it might have been sent there by steamers. There is every indication that we will have a navigable river. It has been cloudy and rainy here for several weeks, which is a sure indication of snow in the mountains. The bayous and sloughs are breaking up Fort Smith for the following reasons: It has been strongly fortified at a very considerable expense, and can be held against great odds. It is a flanking arrangement for this department, and helps to cover Devall's Bluff, as well as Missouri and Kansas. To give up the whole northwestern portion of Arkansas to the rebels would be a breach of good faith on the part of the Government toward the loyal citizens of that section and to the friendly Indians of the Territory. If our troops should abandon Fort Smith the rebels would at once take possession of it, and prepare for raids, and there would be such a howl form Kansas and Missouri that Curtis would demand more troops that he might reoccupy and take it under his own wing. If Fort Gibson should be given up, which would necessity follow the evacuation of Fort Smith, we should lose all influence over the friendly Indians, who would be compelled to plunder the