CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 120. Richmond, May 24, 1864.

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XXV. Quartermasters, commissaries, and Government agents will afford all necessary facilities to J. A. Wagner, special courier of War Department, to Trans-Mississippi Department, and thence to Richmond, Va.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,

Shreveport, La., May 25, 1864.

General J. B. MAGRUDER,

Commanding District of Texas, &c.:

GENERAL: I am directed by the commanding general to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of 18th of May, 1864. In reply to that portion of it relative to the propriety of publishing an order for the expulsion of the families of runaway traitors, he instructs me to state that he does not deem such an order expedient; it would inevitably result in retaliation on the part of the enemy upon the families of our soldiers and citizens, a great many of whom are at present within their lines, and they could inflict far more injury upon us in this way than we could upon them. He would recommend, however, the publication of an order prohibiting all correspondence with the tailor absentees, and expel from the country all persons violating the order. The commanding general, in this connection, desires me to add that should any of the families of these runaways desire to go beyond our lines it seems to him best that they should be permitted do so, under such restrictions as you may deem proper. The commanding general would prefer that they should leave the country, and while he is unwilling to issue an order for their expulsion, in general terms, he desires that all may be allowed to go that desire to do so. The confiscation of their property is purely a question for the civil courts.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. S. WEST,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HOUSTON, May 25, 1864.

Brigadier General W. R. BOGGS:

In reply to your communication directing me to "strengthen General McCulloch to the utmost extent your (my) disposable force will admit," I have the honor to state that Colonel Duff, with his regiment has already been ordered to Bonham. Dashiell's battery is on its way there. The four companies of Colonel McCord's Frontier Regiment, now stationed at Fort Belknap, are directed to report in writing to General McCulloch, and are subject to his orders. In addition