from Lieutenant-Colonel Steele, of the 5th instant, who had just reached Victoria from Indianola, where he had been on a scout, and he made no mention of any movement of the enemy, nor of any appearance of steamers within sight of Saluria or Indianola.

I have established a line of couriers between Columbus and Victoria. The line between Victoria and Colonel Ford's headquarters will necessarily be delayed in consequence of the present movements. I have never received any orders directing the whole of Colonel Mann's command to report to me. I have, nevertheless, ordered him and his troops to this point for arms, preparatory to following the rest of the forces to Matagorda. I need transportation very much, and hope that Colonel Bankhead will be released from the court-martial at the earliest moment and ordered to join his command on the coast.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. F. DRAYTON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

P. S.-Lieutenant J. C. Mitchell, order to report to me by Special Orders, Numbers 155, arrived here on the 6th instant, and returned to Houston next day. If this officer is still at district headquarters, Houston, I would be pleased to have him sent to me at Matagorda with dispatch, as I am need of staff officers.

HDQRS. TRANS-MISS. DEPT., CLOTHING BUREAU,
Shreveport, La., June 10, 1864.

Brigadier General W. R. BOGGS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: The statement herewith annexed exhibited only the issues from my office, which were mainly to the troops of the District of Arkansas and Louisiana, the depots at San Antonio, Houston, Tyler, and Jefferson, Tex., being the depots of supply for the District of Texas and Indian Territory. United June 1, 1863, my office was at Little Rock, Ark., and the issues from the depot under my charge were confined almost solely to the troops of the district. Since then, being stationed at Shreveport, La., I have supplied in part, and as far my resources would admit, the wants of the troops of the District of Arkansas and West Louisiana. The average issues to these district since my assignment at department headquarters would about qual five-eighths of the total issues for the District of Arkansas, and three-eighths for the District of West Louisiana, the cavalry division of Louisiana having been supplied from the depot at Houston. Notwithstanding these issues have been inadequate, I am conscious that no fault is attachable to this office for the deficiency. The department is prolific of raw material, but without means its manufacture. There is only one manufacturing establishment of any magnitude in the department-that at Huntsville, Tex. Others were contracted for by my processor (two Waco manufactory) and by myself (the Ward manufactory), but neither of them have been put in operation in consequence of delays attending the introduction through the Mexican Republic and Rio Granade frontier of machinery from Europe. These establishments, however, I am assured will be in operation within the