opinion the present garrison of Ship Island is not strong enough, in view of this addition to the responsibility of the post, you will please notify me at once, in order that another regiment of colored troops may be sent forward.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. DWIGHT,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, May 23, 1864.

Brigadier-General McNEIL,

Commanding District of La Fourche:

All further morning and evening reports are to be sent to Brigadier General William Dwight, chief of staff, instead of to the assistant adjutant-general as heretofore. If in your opinion you are in need of any more troops, you can be re-enforced at once by requesting it from these headquarters.

Your picket-line from Brashar City up should be watched attentively, and your attention is called to the fact that, in case of a strong attack on Brashear, your strongest line of defense is the line of the Bayou Boeuf, for Brashear can be turned, unless held by a very strong force, and even then it is weak.

By command of Major-General Banks:

Very respectfully,

J. SCHUYLER CROSBY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HOUSTON, TEX., May 23, 1864.

Brigadier-General ROBERTS,

Commanding Federal Forces, &c.:

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 16th instant, in which you state that the flag of truce has frequently been abused by myself as well as by my subordinates. This statement, as far as it affects myself, I know to be entirely without foundation and believe it to be so in the case of my subordinates. I recollect but two flags of truce sent by authority from these headquarters since the arrival of Federal troops on this coast, one to Decrow's Point and the other to Indianola, both relating to business of the greatest importance.

The courteous manner in which the last flag of truce was received by Brigadier-General Warren and the tone of his communication in answer to mine indicate plainly that he was fully aware of the importance of a satisfactory understanding on the subject which gave rise to the necessity of a flag of truce. It is perfectly proper that officers commanding in the field should send flag of truce to each other without reference to distant headquarters, and nothing is more customary.

My orders are that in all cases they shall only be sent for good and sufficient reasons, and that the flag shall be halted upon the least intimation from the enemy of his desire to that effect. I have gone further and even directed that they shall be halted, with-