III. Issues from these depots will only be made upon consolidated estimates from the chief quartermasters of districts, approved by the chief quartermaster of the department.

IV. All quartermaster's property, introduced from abroad, will be transferred to the officers in charge of the depots.

V. All clothing, camp and garrison equipage, introduced from abroad, or manufactured by the clothing bureau, will be transferred to the officers in charge of these depots, upon requisitions from the chief quartermaster of the department made upon the chief of quartermaster bureau. No issue of clothing, camp and garrison equipage, will be made by officers in charge of manufacturing establishments controlled by the chief of the clothing bureau.

The chief of the clothing bureau will report to chief of quartermaster bureau.

By command of General E. Kirby Smith:

S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

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HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT

SHREVEPORT, DECEMBER 3, 1864.

General S. Cooper,
Adjutant and Inspector-General:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Special Orders, Numbers 179, assigning Brigadier-General Nicholls to the duty of organizing the Bureau of Conscription, to which he is assigned as superintendent. Under the orders of the War Department, placing the Bureau of Conscription west of the Mississippi under the control of the department commander, it has long since been organized, with General Greer as superintendent. General Greer has labored zealously, industriously, and intelligently in the discharge of this duty. He has made enemies, but in the face of many difficulties he has by perseverance introduced order and system, and is making his department a success. It would be unjust to a meritorious officer to relieve him by his junior at the moment he is reaping the reward of many months of labor and industry. I am personally a friend of General Nicholls, but under the circumstances have suspended the execution of his orders, awaiting further instructions from the War Department. General Nicholls might be assigned as general of reserves for the State of Louisiana, or as commandant of conscripts for the State of Texas. The report of General Greer for the six months ending June 30, 1864, was forwarded to the War Department.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

General.

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HDQRS. DISTRICT OF TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, AND ARIZONA,
ANDERSON, DECEMBER 3, 1864.

General E. Kirby Smith,

Commanding Trans-Mississippi Department:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 18th ultimo, Numbers 4600, and to express my entire concurrence in your opinion that Galveston Island cannot be held by the forces at my command against a combined land and naval attack. It