forced. All clerks, employed, &c., are required to go before the medical examining board and their certificates carefully scrutinized by the medical director.

Sixth. "No captain or colonel hears of his men falling in the influence of the Shreveport maelstrom but expects to lose him in the labyrinth of bureau." You were repeatedly directed to send a small regiment or battalion to Shreveport for garrison duty, where it would soon have been filled up, disciplined and returned to your command. The large shops, arsenals, and depots of supplies required guards. You failed to comply with these directions. Absentees from the different regiments reported at headquarters were ordered to perform this duty. I inclose you copies of the letters and orders* to you on this subject.

Seventh. "Meanwhile the troops in the field are without pay, insufficiently supplied with food," &c. As soon as funds were received from Richmond I directed the payment of the army. The chief of the pay department (Major Carr) stated that the troops in the field did not desire a payment before the issue of the new currency; that he had arranged with them perfectly to their satisfaction to await payment until the new issue was received. Major Thomas, chief commissary, states there is, and was on May 25, abundant supplies at the command of your commissary for the whole army in Louisiana. I inclose their statements.*

Eighth. "Requisitions for the most important articles, upon which depended the fate of campaign, are lost in a mingled maze of red tape and circumlocution." This is such a general statement that I cannot answer it. Any delay reported to move would have been promptly remedied and the parties neglecting their duty punished.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., June 11, 1864.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States:

SIR: I inclose you three letters from General Taylor, marked Numbers 1, Numbers 2, and Numbers 3. The first was received in Arkansas on May 2. The tone of this letter, the feeling exhibited, and the untruthfulness which characterized it throughout surprised and astonished me. I attributed it to sickness and irritation. With the interests of the service at heart and desirous of conciliating General Taylor, I returned it with the accompanying indorsement and without further official action. On my return to Shreveport I received Numbers 2. H was my first reply. K was subsequently written, but on the receipt of Numbers 3 was not forwarded.+ I would not commence a correspondence, which was undignified, unbefitting my position, and could result only in recriminations. I would have arrested General Taylor on the receipt of his first letter, but acknowledging his merits as a soldier and feeling kindly disposed toward him, I passed it by. I have since borne and forborne with him with a self-control that has

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*Not fund.

+Inclosure K not found.

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