ill to attend to the duties of his position. I have the honor to state that all of Colonel Ford's troops are now in or about to take the field. He informs me that his campaign from this time forward will be one of activity. While at Piedras Negras I was informed from various sources that 1,500 of the enemy whose term of service expired had sailed from Brownsville to their various homes. This, if true, will make our work somewhat easier below.

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

A. G. DICKINSON,

Major and Asst. Adjt. General, Commanding Post, &c.

HEADQUARTERS CABELL'S BRIGADE, March 24, 1864-8 p.m.

Major EWING,
Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd, directing me to move with my whole command to Jeter's Bluffs, on the Ouachita River, at the mouth of the Little Missouri River. I will leave here as soon as I can drawn in my outposts, which will probably be on the 26th or 27th at the farthest. I will reach the position assigned to me as soon as I can possibly do so. I suppose that this is intended for Tate's Bluff, to which place I will go.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. L. CABELL,

Brigadier-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPT., No. 9. Shreveport, La., March 25, 1864.

I. Surg. John M. Haden, C. S. Army, is announced as chief of the Medical Bureau, Trans-Mississippi Department.

All reports, returns, &c., required by the Regulations of the Army to be made to the Surgeon-General, will be forwarded to Surgeon Haden.

II. Surg. D. W. Yandell, Provisional Army, C. S., is announced as medical director of the Trans-Mississippi Department, in place of Surgeon Haden, appointed chief of Medical Bureau.

By command of Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith:

S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

CANE RIVER, NEAR NATCHITOCHES, March 25, 1864.

Captain A. H. MAY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that in accordance with instructions from district headquarters the detachments from this command under Lieutenant-Colonel Bringier proceeded in the direction of Monett's Ferry, on Cane River, and are closely picketing that locality. An officer, with a small scouting party, left Cane River