HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA,
Near Beasley's, March 29, 1864-8 p.m.

Brigadier-General BOGGS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL; The enemy for two days has been massing his forces at Monett's, and threw over his first troops at 4 p.m. to-day. This deprives me of the forage and subsistence on Cane River, and will throw me back on Pleasant Hill to await Green and obtain supplies. Every wagon that can be obtained in the country should be sent to me with shelled corn. To take the offensive I must retrace my steps over this road and strike for Alexandria. The road passes through a barren pine region the entire distance (some 80 miles). The positions I have taken up has restrained the enemy, enabled me to forage, covered Cane River, and preserved my communication with Shreveport and with Green's line of march. Had the enemy been enterprising he might have inflicted severe loss on me, as I have not had mounted men to picket the roads. None of Green's command have come up yet. One regiment will probably reach me to-morrow, but several days will elapse before the first brigade of three regiments can get up. Natchitoches will fall into the enemy's possession and a frightful destruction of property must occur. Much time must ensue in preparing for the offensive before we can move from Pleasant Hill. Two weeks have elapsed since the fall of Alexandria, and I have cherished the hope from day to day that assistance would reach me before I was forced to give up the producing country. The infantry and trains will move on Pleasant Hill to-morrow via Jesup.

Your obedient servant,

R. TAYLOR,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA,
Natchitoches, March 30, 1864-9 p.m.

Brigadier General W. R. BOGGS,

Chief of Staff:

I reached this [place] some two hours since. The enemy is within 12 or 14 miles in full force. He will occupy the place in the morning if he sees proper. Only one of General Green's regiments has reached here. It will go to the front in the morning. The regiment numbers 250-no very heavy re-enforcement. The next regiment numbers 350, with more than half the men reported unarmed. It will reach here to-morrow. No more can arrive for several days. It feel some disappointment that no more interest was felt in Texas to push the troops rapidly to me and well armed. When Texas was threatened I voluntarily offered troops to defend her, and sent them well armed and with full supplies of ammunition. Besides, I have constantly expressed my entire willingness to serve under the command of General Magruder in case he could not consent to his troops coming to my assistance. Your dispatch of the 29th instant (Numbers 2460), has just come to hand. I respectfully suggest that the only possible way to defeat Steele's movement is to whip the enemy now in the heart of the Red River Valley. Price's command could have been here on the 28th, and I could have fought a battle for the department to-day. To decline concentration when we have the