BATON ROUGE, LA., January 16, 1864-6.50 p.m. [Received 7 p.m.

Brigadier-General STONE,

Chief of Staff:

Nothing further since morning. A four-gun battery arrived from Plaquemine this p.m.

P. ST. GEO. COOKE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

PORT HUDSON, LA., January 16, 1864-6.30 p.m. [Received 8 p.m.]

Brigadier General C. P. STONE,

Chief of Staff:

A reconnaissance made this p.m. as far as Mrs. Newport's, on the Jackson road, saw 12 of the enemy's pickets. Two negroes reported at the pickets to-day that the rebels have a camp 2 miles beyond Mrs. Newport's, with a large force and twelve brass cannon. The cavalry went in a southeasterly direction also, but saw nothing of the enemy. Nothing new otherwise.

G. L. ANDREWS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Post.

HDQRS. U. S. FORCES ON THE RIO GRANDE, Brownsville, Tex., January 16, 1864.

Brigadier General CHARLES P. STONE,
Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: I inclose herewith my report* in reference to sending troops to the other side of the river for the protection of the U. S. consulate, and believing it will interest you, I add some other facts in connection with the matter. Upon arriving here I found Serna established as governor of Tamaulipas, but Ruiz, who had been appointed military governor by Juarez, was moving on Matamoras with 600 men. Colonel Cortina was in command of the Serna forces. Arriving near the town, commissioners from the two parties met and settled the matter in this way: Serna to retire to his ranch, Ruiz to take his seat as governor, the troops of both parties to unite under General Capistran [a Ruiz man], with Cortina as second in command, and to march against the French at Tampico.

Serna at once vacated, Ruiz took his seat, and the troops of both parties were camped in the town. As near as I can learn the agreement was violated in several particulars by both parties, and considerable feeling was created.

On the afternoon of the 12th, at about 4 o'clock, Cardenas, an officer of Colonel Cortina, rode to Governor Ruiz's house and insulted him, was arrested by the guards, carried into a back yard, and shot within half an hour. This settled the matter, and at 8 o'clock the same evening the parties opened on each other with artillery in the plaza. The fight continued throughout the night and until 12 o'clock the next day. During the night at times the musketry was severe, and I should say 250 shots were fire with artillery.

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*See Part I, p.81.

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