Major's regiments, which had already crossed at Sabinetown when my dispatch reached there. The arrival of these troops will place me in position to meet the enemy's large mounted force, which had constantly worried me. With no protection to my flanks and compelled to forage at long distance, I have maintained position longer than prudence could justify, and twice offered battle. The enemy has been too sagacious to forego his advantages, and I have been compelled to surrender mile after mile of territory to be utterly ruined without a general battle. The problem now is how to take the offensive when my re-enforcements get up. The line to inflict loss to the enemy is the one by which I have fallen back from Alexandria. This, however, involves the hauling of forage and subsistence the entire distance-some 100 miles.

Your obedient servant,

R. TAYLOR,

Major-General.

[Numbers 2534.] HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT, Shreveport, La., April 3, 1864.

Major General R. TAYLOR,

Commanding District of West Louisiana:

GENERAL: The inclosed dispatch* from General Price will give you the situation of affairs in Arkansas. Steele was re-enforced at Arkadelphia and moved with a column of between 10,000 and 15,000 effective of all arms. The movements of the enemy, both above and below, indicate to me a common objective point. Should this be so, and either or both columns push forward, the concentration must be made and one of the column destroyed. My opinion is this should be the lesser, and with the prestige of victory and our combined force we should check, if not defeat, the other column.+ On arriving at Washington, Steel can advance by two directions-the road direct down the east bank of Red River or crossing Red River at Fulton, or near that point, move by Jefferson and Marshall, looking to a concentration with General Banks in the vicinity of either Shreveport or Marshall. From this point to Washington is 105 miles and about 100 to Natchitoches. Their distance apart is too great to make any calculations for concentration. The great superiority of the enemy in your front and your weakness in cavalry compels you to fall back. Mansfield puts you nearly equidistant from this point and from Marshall. Should Steele advance from Washington you will be in position for a concentration in the right direction. The small infantry force here pushed to your support, even had the Texas cavalry effected their junction with your command, would scarcely make you strong enough to fight a battle on which the fate of the department is to depend; it must be done with a more general concentration. General Price has at his command a force of some 7,000 cavalry and 1,500 infantry. Parson's Texas cavalry brigade, concentrating at Marshall, will number nearly 1,000 armed men. General Price will be instructed to hold his command prepared

for rapid marching, as circumstances may require. A decision must now soon

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*Not found as in inclosure.

+Portion preceding dagger was inclosure Numbers 1 (2534) to Smith's report of June 11, 1864.

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