SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 43.
New Orleans, La., February 17, 1864.

1. The Twenty-ninth Maine Veteran Volunteers will proceed at once to Algiers, La., and take post at the Belvedere Iron-Works. The quartermaster's department will furnish the necessary transportation. The commanding officer will report direct to these headquarters.

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7. The headquarters of the Nineteenth Army Corps, commanded by Major General W. B. Franklin, will be in New Orleans, La., until further orders.

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By command of Major-General Banks:

RICHD. B. IRWIN,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, New Orleans, February 17, 1864.

Brigadier General PHILIP ST. GEORGE COOKE,

Commanding Baton Rouge, La.:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that immediate measures be taken to have all stragglers and convalescents fit for duty within your command returned to their regiments without delay.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. B. BRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Same to the commanding officer District of La Fourche, La.)

HEADQUARTERS, Baton Rouge, La., February 17, 1864.

Brigadier General JAMES BOWEN,
Provost-Marshal-General, New Orleans, La.:

GENERAL: I send down 45 prisoners, paroled men of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, taken because the enemy had pronounced them exchanged, and were forcing them back into service. I have taken Captain Brusle's verbal parole, to report to you, because he asserts that he considered his parole still binding in conscience, and because he is of opinion that his division of the Vicksburg army has not been pronounced exchanged.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. ST. GEO. COOKE,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.