[Sub-inclosure Numbers 4.*]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA, Alexandria, March 13, 1864.

Colonel HENRY GRAY,
Commanding Mouton's Brigade:

COLONEL: You were directed from these headquarters by courier, at 6.30 o'clock this morning, to hold your brigade in readiness to move at a moment's notice. * * * You will march with your brigade at once toward Yellow Bayou, by way of Evergreen, to report to Major General J. G. Walker. You will send an officer ahead of you to ascertain where General Walker is, and will receive orders from him as to whether he desires you to form a junction with his command elsewhere, and will act under General Walker's orders unless otherwise directed from these headquarters.

* * * * * * * *

By command of Major-General Taylor:

A. H. MAY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Sub-inclosure Numbers 7.]

HEADQUARTERS WALKER'S DIVISION, Near Mansura, March 13, 1864-6.30 p. m.

Major-General TAYLOR,
Commanding District of West Louisiana:

The enemy has made no further advance than to Mrs. Norwood's plantation on Bayou De Glaize. He has not yet occupied Moreauville. I have my force posted as I informed you in my last dispatch. I have written to Colonel Gray, instructing him to join me by the Bayou du Lac bridge, which is about 5 miles from Mansura. I think it would be injudicious to send Polignac by boats, as in case of an advance on the part of the enemy in force too strong for me to drive back, I might be caught in a cul-de-sac. It will be better I think for him to come by Lecompte and bayou Huffpower. The report received from General Scurry last night that twenty transports had entered Red River in addition to those in the Atchafalaya induced me to send off the negroes. This report was not corrected until late to-day. Colonel Byrd has been directed to push forward the work by the labor of the garrison. I received my last dispatch from Colonel Byrd about 2 o'clock to-day, in which he informed me gun-boats had passed the raft. This, I suppose, was a mistake, as there has been no firing heard in that direction.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. WALKER,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Sub-inclosure Numbers 8.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA, Alexandria, March 13, 1864-10 p. m.

Major-General WALKER,
Commanding Division:

GENERAL: Your dispatch of to-day just received. I supposed you on the other side of the De Glaize. The enemy may follow the

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*For sub-inclosure Numbers 5, see Taylor to Walker, March 13, p. 493; and sub-inclosure Numbers 6, see May to Walker, 6 a. m., March 13, p. 492.

37 R R-VOL XXXIV, PT I

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