that the enemy will advance to-day by boat up the river and with cavalry up the Bayou Rapides. If this prove true it will be utterly out of our power to stop or delay him. The major-general commanding therefore directs that you will at once have all Government property placed in boats, selecting the most valuable first. Impress the necessary transportation. Colonel Bush's regiment should arrive at Natchitoches to-night, partly armed. Send out a courier to hurry him up. Arm his men with the serviceable arms as far as they will go, and send him below to picket the river. Should this news prove true direct him to burn all the cotton on the river and start off the boats to Shreveport. Send down the Kisatchie and Natchitoches road and hurry on the two heavy guns I wrote you about yesterday. Send an officer, and give him authority to impress fresh oxen. Use every endeavor to get the guns up in time to ship them by boat to Shreveport. Increase the couriers on the Kisatchie road, and send your communications by that line. Hasten the supplying of the depots established by Major Levy on the Fort Jesup and Mount Pleasant road with as much corn and meal as possible. Instruct General Liddell to harass and impede the enemy as much as possible on Red River above the Black. Endeavor to organize the line of couriers or any other mounted men on the Monett's Ferry road, so as to bring intelligence of the enemy's movements on the river to the major-general commanding on the Kisatchie road. Colonel Bush, if the enemy advance on Natchitoches, will fall back onto the Fort Jesup road and join the army. Communicate this news to department headquarters at once.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. SURGET,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., March 20, 1864.

Brigadier General E. GREER,

Commandant Conscripts, Trans-Mississippi Department:

GENERAL: The lieutenant-general commanding directs that you hasten the concentration of Parsons' brigade as rapidly as possible, and also of Burleson's battalion, which you will order to report to Colonel Parsons. He feels compelled to withdraw this battalion from you, as at this moment he needs every man he can command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. CUNNINGHAM,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., March 20, 1864.

Brigadier-General LIDDELL:

GENERAL: Dispatches received from General Taylor up to night of the 17th place the enemy at Alexandria, from which point they had then shown no disposition to advance. General Taylor was within 12 miles of Cotile and 45 miles from Natchitoches, on the Natchitoches and Opelousas road. This state of things will render