BATON ROUGE, December 24, 1864.

(Received 9 p. m.)

Major-General HURLBUT:

My effective cavalry force has just returned from a very successful scout, having captured 13 rebels without any loss. They report that there is unquestionably a large force about Clinton, but that the crossings of the Amite and Comite Rivers are so difficult, owing to high water, as to make a raid on this place less probable than was at first supposed. I shall keep constantly on the alert and report all circumstances worthy of notice.

W. P. BENTON,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS,
New Orleans, December 24, 1864.

Lieutenant AKERMAN,

Acting Assistant Quartermaster, Lakeport:

Direct all cavalry arriving to go at once to Greenville and report to the senior cavalry officer there present.

By order of Brigadier-General Sherman:

FREDERICK SPEED,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MORGANZA, December 24, 1864.

(Received 12,15 p. m.)

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I have just received order through Brigadier-General Ullmann from Major-General Hurlbut to send two infantry regiments to Baton Rouge, La. Is it understood in circular issued from your headquarters, dated December 6, 1864, that troops comprising the Reserve Corps, Military Division of West Mississippi, are under the control and direction of the commanding officer Department of the Gulf as well as under those mentioned in said circular? I am anxious to do what is right and will send the regiments without delay, and shall only await your answer. Brigadier General C. C. Andrews has not yet reported here.

Yours, truly,

W. T. SPICELY,

Colonel, Commanding Third Brigade, Reserve Corps.

NEW ORLEANS, LA., December 24, 1864.

Colonel W. T. SPICELY,

Commanding Third Brigade, Reserve Corps:

The troops of the Reserve Corps are subject to the orders of the senior officer of the post where they are stationed, if these order do not commit them to any operations that conflict with the main purpose of their being held in readiness at any time to move wherever they may be required by order from here. In this instance the order given by General Hurlbut is proper.

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.