HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF PLAQUEMINE, Plaquemine, La., April 17, 1864.

Captain GEORGE W. DURGIN, Jr.,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I have the honor to call your attention to the great necessity which exists for a company, at least, of cavalry in this place. The provost-marshal needs a mounted police to assist him in his business, and I have information that with a sufficient cavalry force quite a number of important seizures might be made. There are also several parties of Confederates in the vicinity, on near Indian village, of about 30 men, under command of Lieutenant Hack. With a company of cavalry these parties might be either driven off or captured.

Hoping that you will take this matter into consideration I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

RICHARD G. SHAW,

Major 14th Rhode Island Heavy Arty. (Colored), Commanding Post.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Port Hudson, La., April 17, 1864.

Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,
Assistant Adjutant -General:

SIR: I regret to be obliged to state that Brigadier-General Andrews is unable to attend to business in consequence of severe indisposition. I am therefore in command of the post. I have the honor to state that pursuant to Field Orders, Numbers 16, extracts 5 and 6, dated headquarters Department of the Gulf, April 11, 1864, I have this day forwarded to Fort Barrancas, Fla., the Eighty-second U. S. Infantry (colored), Colonel Zulavsky, and to Bonnet Carre the Eightieth U. S. Infantry (colored), Colonel Hamlin.

General Andrews desires me to request further instructions as to Field Orders, Numbers 3, dated headquarters Department of the Gulf, March 25, 1864. He suggests that, in view of the fact that the enemy has recently shown himself repeatedly in our neighborhood in considerable strength, it may not be well to further reduce this garrison. Excepting some small fractions of regiments and the cavalry (whose numbers are altogether insufficient for the duty they have to perform), we have now but two regiments of drilled men.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

DANIEL ULLMANN,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Grand Ecore, April 17, 1864.

Brigadier General FITZ HENRY WARREN,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Pass Cavallo:

GENERAL: The commanding general directs that upon being relieved in command of the forces at Pass Cavallo by Brigadier General B. S. Roberts, U. S. Volunteers, you proceed with as little delay as possible to report at headquarters Department of the Gulf, in the field. He directs that you bring with you from Pass Cavallo all the troops