HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA,
Mansfield, April 3, 1864.

Lieutenant General E. KIRBY SMITH,

Commanding Trans-Mississippi Department, Shreveport, La.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication (Numbers 2509) of the 31st ultimo. My communication of the 28th was based upon a letter from MR. D. F. Kenner, a member of Congress from Louisiana. This letter bore date of the 26th ultimo and contained the following statement:

I called General Smith's attention to the great importance of sending you re-enforcements immediately. What was may astonishment when he replied that you did not desire any re-enforcements. I explained that was impossible. He said that you had so written, and called for your last letter, which he handed me, calling my attention to that passage, &c.

Here follows the quotation from my letter of the 23rd ultimo, given in full in my communication of the 28th ultimo. Although Mr. Kenner is a civilian, I considered his statements reliable and felt hurt that such a construction should have been placed on my language. I certainly would have been the first commander possessing ordinary sense who voluntarily declined re-enforcements while retreating before a superior force. My susceptibility in this matter was very materially augmented by a recurrence to the events of last year. After the withdrawal of General Banks from Alexandria it was frequently stated by an officer of your staff (Surg. S. A. Smith, inspector of hospitals), supposed by the public to possess your confidence to a greater degree than any officer of the department, that I was alone responsible for the enemy's raid through Louisiana, for that in his hearing you had offered me troops, and I had declined to receive them. This statement Surgeon Smith repeatedly made to respectable gentlemen in Alexandria. Believing that the statement was made through ignorance, I did not permit it to make any impression on my mind, and did not even contradict it when repeated to me. The statement of Mr. Kenner revived the recollection of the circumstances. I am not desirous to escape any just responsibility, and feel conscious that much blame properly belongs to me as the immediate commander to whom was intrusted the defense of Louisiana, now in possession of the enemy. In reviewing my communication of the 28th ultimo I can find nothing disrespectful or improper, and I am fully impressed with what is due from a subordinate to his military superior.'

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. TAYLOR,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA,
In the Field, April 3, 1864.

Brigadier General W. R. BOGGS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that Brigadier-General Churchill, with the forces under his command, reached Keachie this morning. I have directed him to remain at that point until further orders, hoping to have an answer to my communication to department headquarters relative to the future campaign to-night. If I receive no orders to the contrary, and certain regiments of Green's