Luckey and others that have been sent to General Magruder, and were connected with that same disloyal set of men who knew all about the condition of affairs on that border; and from these communications and other sources of information I have not a doubt there are a large number of deserters and disloyal men in that section. It is said that there are 150 on Pecan Bay and 350 on the upper Concho, and smaller parties all over the region of country where I have directed Colonel McCord to attack and root out, but his force having been removed from that quarter (Camp Colorado), I do not see that I can do anything just now, but hope in a short time to be able to send forces out to attack them.

I think it very certain that the forces left under the command of the Governor in the reserve counties on our frontier line are perfectly unreliable in this service, as hundreds of them are men who have gone there to avoid the operation of the conscript law and keep out of the service; and I will once more reaper that I hope the conscript law will be rigidly enforced to the outside haunt, and this haunt broken up, for until that is done we never will be able to control these disloyal men or catch those deserters. I know how difficult it will be to do this, but it will take no more force to do it than it will to protect the country from them and Indians, and I ought to have a good regiment now, under an energetic, fighting, to attack and kill all who are assembled to resist the authorities, and arrest all others who owe service to the country or are disloyal. This section of the country must be attended to soon or it will be too late to do it; and although I have never had sufficient force to take care of my own district, if that country and the Frontier Regiment had been put under my command my command last fall I could have had it in much better condition now, or had the regiment broken up or scattered in some other portion of the army. They have done no good since I have been up here, and consequently that section is ruined.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY E. McCULLOCH,

Major-General, Commanding Northern Sub-District.

HOUSTON, May 29, 1864.

Colonel J. S. FORD:

I am instructed to inform you that the enemy is diminishing his forces largely at Fort Esperanza, and we have every reason to believe that he is preparing to evacuate that part of the coast. The information is furnished for your benefit, and further accounts will be furnished as soon as received, or as soon as it can be obtained.

E. P. TURNER,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT, Numbers 33. Shreveport, La., May 30, 1864.

I. The bureaus of the ordnance, medical, quartermaster, and subsistence departments, and of conscription, are established at Marshall, Tex. All returns, reports, papers, &., required by law and