messenger reached Grand Ecore before he left. The instructions of the major-general commanding with regard to General Liddell's movements as contained in Major Surget's letter of 21st will be forwarded to him at once. Captain Stewart's company of cavalry passed here at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon for Shreveport by way of Grand Ecore. There was no boat here on which the company could be sent to Shreveport.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. H. MAY

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.- A courier has just arrived from the Saint Maurice line, reporting that there is a gun-boat 15 miles below Grand Ecore coming up.

LATER-8.20 p.m.

Having doubts as to the correctness of the information given by the courier from the Saint Maurice line as stated above, and preferring not to trouble you with unreliable news, I immediately sent the courier back to Grand Ecore to wait there and let me know if the gun-boat came up. I also dispatched pickets to Gurney's, 8 miles below Grand Ecore, by water, to gain such information as could be obtained. The courier who brought, the news in the first place has returned with the intelligence that the report of a gun-boat coming up was false. I am satisfied the pickets in the direction of Saint Maurice were mistaken in the first report. In the interim, while delaying the courier for Shreveport, a courier arrived from the major-general commanding with a communication for Brigadier-General Boggs, which goes with this.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. H. MAY.

I have sent a reliable officer now to the lower end of the Saint Maurice line of couriers to take charge of the pickets and send no uncertain news. The Texas has gone below Grand Ecore.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA,
Near Carroll Jones', March 21, 1864-9 p.m.

[Captain A. H. MAY:]

CAPTAIN: The major-general commanding directs that you will keep up a perfect system of communication as low down as Monett's Ferry, to give you advice at Natchitoches of any movement of the enemy up the country. There must be a picket also at the junction of Can River and Red River below Monett's Ferry to report the passage of boats. This must be organized independent of these headquarters as with the rising river and an advance of the enemy by the river road and boats at the same time we on the pine-woods road could learn nothing of their movements. This line however, must be made strong enough to communicate any information obtained across to these headquarters on the Kisatchie road as well to Natchitoches. Every movement of the enemy must be communicated promptly. Assign to this duty the most reliable and intelligent officer you can get not engaged in more important service. If you can get no other or