HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
One and a half miles from Choctaw Bayou, May 14, 1864.

Brigadier General FITZ HENRY WARREN, or

OFFICER Commanding U. S. FORCES NEAR FORT DE RUSSY:

GENERAL: If you hear heavy firing in the direction of Marksville you must move to be there certainly by 12 o'clock to-morrow. If you do not learn that we are engaged with the enemy in force, you will proceed by transports to Simsport.

By order of the Commanding general:

W. DWIGHT,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
Mouth of Red River, La., May 14, 1864.

Major General N. P. BANKS,

Commanding Department of the Gulf:

Your dispatch of this morning to Brigadier-General Warren has this moment (11.30 p. m.) been received. There are but 600 troops here, but others have been ordered from above and below, and will co-operate with you as fully as possible.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
Wilson's Landing, May 14, 1864.

Rear-Admiral D. D. PORTER,

Commanding Mississippi, Squadron:

ADMIRAL: The general wishes me to say that the enemy is pushing the rear of our train. He desires, if you have not already done so, that, gun-boat be sent back to the assistance of the rear guard.

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

GEO. B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
Welsh's Plantation, May 14, 1864.

Rear-Admiral D. D. PORTER,

Commanding Mississippi Squadron:

ADMIRAL: I inclose a dispatch from General Emory from the front. Please send the boats as the requests. The Thirteenth Army Corps will flank the train on the right leaving one regiment with a cavalry brigade to bring up the rear of the train. Please have a gun-boat in the rear as you [he] requests.

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

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.