[Sub-inclosure.]

HDQRS. TRANS-MISS DEPT., SUBSISTENCE OFFICE,
Shreveport, La., April 30, 1864.

Major THOMAS LANIGAN,

Commissary of Subsistence, Paris, Tex.:

MAJOR: All the energies of the officers in your district should be used in pushing forward supplies to Arkansas and Louisiana; for the present they stand most in need of them in Arkansas. There is not now, that I know of, one pound of flour in either district, and in Arkansas very little bacon.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. H. THOMAS,

Major and Chief Com. of Sub., Trans-Miss. Dept.

[Inclosure No. 2.] HEADQUARTERS NORTHERN SUB-DISTRICT OF TEXAS, Bonham, May 8, 1964.

Major THOMAS LANIGAN,

Commissary of Subsistence, Paris:

MAJOR:

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I regret exceedingly to be compelled to say that I cannot furnish you with one single wagon to aid you in pushing supplies forward to our suffering friends in Arkansas and Louisiana. We have not the means here, nor can we obtain them in this community; third resources are exhausted, but I inclose an order to impress any wagons and teams you can find among the citizens in Lamar or Red River counties, that they can do without to make one trip, and hands to drive them if you can do no better; but i must ask you to try and make the order operate as [leniently] as possible, and in no case to make it oppressive if it can be avoided. This is an exceedingly busy tim e of the year with farmers, and if we deprive them of the means to make crops we will deprive our army of the grain they would raise, and thus only put off the evil day (want of bread) which must come upon us if grain is not raised.

Respectfully, &c.,

HENRY E. McCULLOCH,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, No. 108. Richmond, May 9, 1864.

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XIII. Captain C. M. Randolph, Corps of Engineers, Provisional Army, C. S., will proceed without delay to the headquarters of the Trans-Mississippi Department and report to General E. K. Smith, commanding, &c., for assignment to duty with his chief engineer.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.