From here to Henderson's Hill by the bayou road is 23 miles. You will perceive there are many bridges on the road. I will send out two regiments of Colonel Dudley's brigade to hold the bridges in rear and form a cordon of posts for rapid communication.

A. J. SMITH,

Brigadier-General.

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS RED RIVER EXPEDITION.

On Steamer Clara Bell, Alexandria, La., March 25, 1864

GENERAL: This command will move by land at 6 a.m. to-morrow morning on the south side of the river, on the Bayou Rapides road, to a point on the river about 20 miles above Alexandria, La., in the following order:

First. Brigadier General T. Kilby Smith, commanding division, Seventeenth Army Corps.

Second. First Division, Sixteenth Army Corps.

Third. Third Division, Sixteenth Army Corps.

You will have your command ready to march at the hour named. The men will be provided with three days' full rations, and take 40 rounds of ammunition per man in their cartridge-boxes. The regiments will take their land transportation with them, carrying in their wagons their cooking utensils and six boxes of ammunition per regiment. Surplus baggage, camp and garrison equipage, and stores will be left on the boats, with a guard from each regiment sufficient to protect them until we rejoin the fleet.

By order of Brigadier General A. J. Smith:

J. HOUGH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Copy to Brigadier General T. K. Smith, commanding Provisional Division, Seventeenth Army Corps; Brigadier General J. A. Mower, commanding First and Third Divisions, Sixteenth Army Corps.)

HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, DEPT. OF THE GULF,
March 25, 1864

Brigadier General C. P. STONE,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Do you consider it necessary to keep any picket on the opposite side of the river? Some means of crossing in such an event would be necessary. Will cavalry be left at this post? One company of Second New York Veterans are at New Orleans, mounted, and 200 more of Scott's Nine Hundred. In case cavalry is needed here, would it not be well to order it from the city by transports? Some horses are arriving at New Orleans. Three companies of Second New York are there, dismounted. Shall I give them preference in mounting or the Second Louisiana Cavalry? I would like to send the orders by boat leaving to-day,

Yours, respectfully,

A. L. LEE,

Brigadier-General.