by water. From the information I have received all of Green's cavalry force should reach me within the next thirty-six or forty-eight hours. Under these circumstances, unless I receive instructions to the contrary from department headquarters, I shall move on Natchitoches as soon as the re-enforcements from Texas reach me, and thus check the farther advance of Banks' column.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. TAYLOR,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA,
Mansfield, April 5, 1864

Brigadier General W. R. BOGGS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: I have the honor to hand you herewith inclosed copy of a communication received from General Liddell this morning. I also have the honor to acknowledge receipt this morning of dispatch, Numbers 2543 and Special Orders, Numbers 81, paragraph X, from department headquarters. I have sent to the neighborhood of Keachie to select suitable camping-ground for the command of General Churchill should it march to Keachie in accordance with Special Orders, Numbers 81. Further dispatches expected from department headquarters will determine me so to what orders to give to General Churchill. Looking to the possibility of my being ordered to Shreveport, I am having the road via Kingston put in order, it being the shortest and most practicable to Shreveport. General Major, with one regiment of his own brigade and Buchel's regiment, arrived here this morning. The remainder of Major's command and Terrell's regiment, with General Bee and his command, will probably be here to-night. Gould's, Woods', and Likens' regiments still behind and not yet heard from. The enemy not advancing on the Natchitoches. and Mansfield road at last account. The latest dispatches from Colonel Debray represent them as having fallen back on the road to Dupont's Bridge, 18 miles below Pleasant Hill. A dispatch received from Captain McCloskey informs me that he would have the Falls City sunk by this morning near the mouth of Boggy Bayou. I respectfully recommend that the order assigning General Hawes to duty in this district be countermanded, as he was relieved from duty here at his own request, and I am satisfied it would be for the interest of the service to leave Colonel Debray in command of his brigade.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. TAYLOR,

Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS,
In the Field, near Campti, April 4, 1864-9.30 a.m.

Major E. SURGET.

Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: I have the honor to state that there are there gun-boats and one transport just below Campti bar moving very slowly and shelling as they ascend. There are ten gun-boats and seventeen