WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, November 28, 1864.

Major-General BANKS,

Commanding Department of Louisiana [the Gulf]:

GENERAL; Upon your return to your command, in pursuance of the order of November 23, you are authorized to communicate to the President any matters relating to the civil administration of your department which you may deem it important to the public service from him to be apprised of by direct communication with him.

Your obedient servant,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER, New Orleans, La., November 28, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,
Ass. Adjt. General Mil. Div. of West Miss., New Orleans, La.:

SIR: I have the honor to submit to your consideration a statement of the information received at this office this 28th day of November, 1864, from the following sources, a report from Dr. J. H. Weldon, Vicksburg, Miss., November 24; a report from Lieutenant Milton J. Roberts, Barrancas, Fla., November 24:

There are not Confederate troops nearer to Vicksburg than those at Jackson, and there is only a small force there. On the 21st instant five companies of the Fifteenth Confederate Cavalry and 500 of Forrest's cavalry were at Greenwood Fla., under command of Colonel Maury. One company of the Fifteenth was at Milton, Fla., three companies at Stockton, Ala., and Captain Bowen's company at Pine Barrens. This company is about eighty strong and is doing picket duty. There are picket-posts on all the roads leading to the Perdido River.

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

A. M. JACKSON,

Second Lieutenant, Signal Corps, U. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS, New Orleans, November 28, 1864.

Captain W. F. PERKINS,
Assistant Quartermaster:

I am directed to inform you that it will be necessary for the Thirty-first Massachusetts Volunteers to leave at once for Donaldsonville. Two companies of cavalry will be at Donaldsonville waiting to be crossed over the river. General Sherman directs that the same boat which takes up the Thirty-first Massachusetts Volunteers cross them over, unless it can be sooner done by a passing boat.

I am, sir, respectfully,

FREDERIC SPEED,

Assistant Adjutant-General.