BROWNSVILLE, May 20, 1864.

Captain C. H. DYER,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Shall I go with General West with my mounted [men] or watch the movements south of here? The general says me command was not on his list and I must receive orders from you.

O. WOOD,

Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Little Rock, May 20, 1864.

Colonel POWELL CLAYTON,
Commanding, Pine Bluff:

If you are satisfied from the reports of your scouting parties that there is no great danger to navigation below Pine Bluff, you can allow boats to go out of the Arkansas River, subject to the orders of the quartermaster's department.

By order of Major General F. Steele:

W. D. GREEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF LITTLE ROCK, Little Rock, Ark., May 20, 1864.

Colonel P. CLAYTON, Pine Bluff:

Your command is an independent cavalry brigade.

C. H. DYER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HELEAN, ARK., May 20, 1864.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY,

Commanding Division of West Mississippi:

SIR: Your letter of the 15th is this moment received. I hasten to reply. Troops were marched from here last autumn to Devall's Bluff via Clarendon. My scouts have been in the vicinity of Clarendon repeatedly. The distance to Calrendon is 51 miles. The obstacles are, first, Lick Creek, 10 miles west of Helean, which is small and can be forded at low water, and my scouts get over without delay; but the passage of a great amount of supplies would require a bridge 60 feet long. Second, Big Creek, 18 miles west. This creek is fordable at very low water, but for nine months of the year is deep. All the bridges have been destroyed. But one ferryboat is now on it, and that capable of taking but one team at a time. Length of bridge required, 150 feet. The abutments are left at Wallace's Ferry.

From Big Creek to Clarendon there is no obstacle. From Calrendon to Devall's Bluff, on the east side of White River, the road is impracticable, crossing Cache, a deep stream and numerous cypress swamps. To cross in a ferry to Clarendon and thence to Devall's Bluff is 15 miles, with but one obstacle, Rock Roe Bayou, which can be crossed. To send supplies by this route and keep it open would require an earth-work at least 500 feet square to protect the ferry or pontoon bridge at Big Creek, and an equal or larger one at the ferry below Clarendon. The number of troops required at each place you