so urgently asked for them, without success, that I have at present no expectation that more will be sent. Five are very necessary. The acting commissaries of subsistence at all the stations, posts, and forts in the department are instructed to keep on hand at all times sixty days' rations for the number of troops to be supplied from their respective store-houses. These orders are usually well obeyed, and Forts Livingston, Jackson, Saint Philip, Macomb, Pike, and Ship Island may safely reported at that to-day, and also, the same at Donaldsonville and Plaquemine; at Brashear City and Bonnet Carre, probably thirty days. By data and last reports received from the commissaries, there were on the Rio Grande, on the 1st of June, in round numbers, of salt meats, 560,000; of breadstuffs, 360,000 rations, and of the other parts of the ration, 600,000, each. The number of persons fed on the Rio Grande, the commissary of subsistence reports at 6,500. The post of Arkansas Pass is provisioned to the 31st of August; that of Pass Cavallo is being vacated.

The forts, &c., at Key West and Tortugas are supplied directly from New York. All other places and the armies in the department are supplied from the main depot in this city, which draws its stores from the market here, but in a small way, receiving them mainly from Saint Louis, New York, and Boston, as either presents the cheaper market for the articles required. In the depots in this city there are to-day, of salt meats, 5,000,000; of fresh beef, 66,000; breadstuffs, 2,300,000 rations, and of the other parts of the ration, 4,000,000. At Baton Rouge, where the commissary of subsistence reports that he feeds 9,500 persons daily, there are of meats, 402,000; breadstuffs, 430,000; rice and hominy, 530,000 rations, and of the balance of the ration, 500,000 parts each; and at Port Hudson there are of meats, 530,000; breadstuffs, 450,000; sugar, 400,000 rations; and 500,000 of each of the other component parts of the ration.

The troops at Morganza have fifteen days' supply. The troops in Texas have supplied themselves with fresh beef, and recently the army upon Red River has done the same. All other forces in the department, except those of Key West, which are supplied from New York, receive fresh beef only when brought from Saint Louis. The country immediately about the stations and forts in completely stripped of all beef-cattle, and no successful efforts are made to forage for them. The consequence is, the supply received is limited, and there are constant calls for more fresh beef than can be transported from Saint Louis, which is less than is required, probably, for the health of the troops. There are no reports of the number of contrabands and destitute fed in the department, but it is enormous. In this city the families, so far, number about 5,000. The number of rations consumed daily in the Department of the Gulf will probably exceed 75,000.

The supply in the four depots, New Orleans, Carrollton, Baton Rouge, and Port Hudson, is sufficient for eighty-five days, which, with, say, even forty days' supply at all the small posts, would give ample time against any probable contingency, as the destruction of one of the depots, or the closing of the navigation of the river, for supplies to be received from New York or elsewhere. This market is largely supplied at this time with flour.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. G. BECKWITH,

Colonel, A. D. C., and Chief Com. of Sub., Dept. of the Gulf.