NEW ORLEANS, May 6, 1864.

Brigadier General T. E. G. RANSOM,

U. S. Volunteers:

MY DEAR RANSOM: I received your notes at Grand Ecore and Alexandria, and would have answered them before this time, but the bruise on my leg became so serious that the doctors had to lay it open to the bone for about 2 1/2 inches, and I knew that the disability would take me out of the field for a time, and I hoped to meet you here and discuss our disaster orally, instead of by letter. I arrived here on the 2nd instant and found that you had gone, and to-morrow's steamer carries the first mail that goes North since I arrived. The cut in my leg is healing fast and permanently, I think, so that I hope to be soon on my pins again. Now, however, I am confined to the house. I was delighted to hear how well you are getting on. You ask me for my recollections of the doings on the 7th and 8th of April.

On the 7th of April you and I arrived together at Pleasant Hill, 35 miles from Natchitoches, about 1 p.m. Before we got there we found a large part of the cavalry train on the road, and at Pleasant Hill were a brigade of cavalry and its train taking up ground necessary for the encampment of the infantry. About an hour after our arrival there this brigade moved off, but the cavalry train was nearly the whole afternoon in getting away. Your command, I think, began to arrive about 2 o'clock, and went into camp. About 4 o'clock I received notice from General Lee that the enemy was pressing him hard about 2 miles to the front, and asking me for a brigade of infantry. I sent him word that he could not have the brigade. Half an hour (or less) afterward he sent me word that the enemy was driving him, and reiterated his request. I then directed you to send out a brigade under General Cameron, which brigade started immediately. It had hardly got started when General Lee sent in word that the enemy had retired, and the infantry brigade was then returned to camp by my order. Later I received a dispatch from General Lee asking that a brigade of infantry might join him in the morning, and a request to the same effect from Colonel Clark, an aide of General Banks, who had been with him. I refused again and ordered General Lee to move his troops and trains forward in the morning, so that they might be out of the way of the infantry, which I intended to camp the next day at a point 8 miles in front of Pleasant Hill, where there was water, and which point General Lee occupied that night. General Emory's division arrived at Pleasant Hill about 6 p.m., but there had been a very heavy rain in our rear during the day, making the roads so bad that his train did not get into camp that night and did not all get in until 8 or 9 o'clock the next morning. It was this delay that induced me to order the short march for the next day, as well as the fact that it was General Emory's time to be placed in front, he having marched three days in rear. About 9 o'clock p.m. General Banks and staff arrived from Grand Ecore. Colonel Clark, of whom I have already spoken, immediately went to see him after his interview with me, and at 10 p.m. I was ordered by General Banks to send a brigade of infantry to report to General Lee at daylight the next morning. I therefore directed you to send out the brigade, and it was accordingly. On April 8, the march was commenced, as I have indicated above-that is, both General Emory and yourself were ordered to go to the 8-mile point and go into camp. This arrangement I explained to