and disposition made of them at depots under my special control, and copies from other papers relating thereto. The inclosure marked A will show the amount of commissary stores on hand at the depot at Shreveport April 17, and since received, and amounts shipped, and to whom shipped. Inclosure marked B will show the amount of supplies shipper from Marshall, [Tex.] As April 17 was the date of the shipment made by steam-boats to leaver Red River, owing to obstructions in the river, I will state that previous to the time supplies in large quantities were sent to General Taylor's command from depots at Mansfield, Keachie, and Shreveport, La., by wagon trains. Inclosure marked C will show the amount it bulk forwarded from Shreveport by boats, and from Marshall by wagons, to General Taylor's command from April 17, which I have reduced to rations. Inclosure marked D is the statement from Captain Joseph B. Smith, depot commissary at Shreveport, in relation to the instructions he has received from this office in relation to future shipments of supplies to General Taylor's command and his ability to comply. Inclosure market E contains extract from letters received at this office from Major A. H. Mason, chief commissary of subsistence, District of West Louisiana. His letters are dated at General Taylor's headquarters. I will state that Major M. Has uniformly expressed his satisfaction at the promptness with which supplies have been forwarded to him and the quantity. I have at no time received a complaint. A few articles constituting the ration, which we have not been able to forward him in greater quantities, he has written for. All of my letters in reply have been acknowledge by him, which seem to be satisfactory. I will call the attention of the general commanding to the fact that General Taylor's command is supplied with beef-cattle by an officer selected by the chief commissary of subsistence of the District of West Louisiana, under special instructions from his office. I will also state in this connection that orders asked for by this officer from department headquarters to facilitate him in carrying out his instructions have been issued and forwarded to him. In a letter from this officer to this office, dated June 4, he states that he has forwarded Major Mason, chief commissary of subsistence, District of West Louisiana, 2,000 head of beef-cattle since April 15.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. H. THOMAS,

Major and Chief Com, of Sub., Trans-Miss. Dept.

[Inclosure A.-Extract.]

Report of subsistence stores received and issued by Captain Joseph B. Smith, depot commissary, Shreveport, La., from April 6 to June 8, 1864.

Dat Sto Baco Mess Drie Beef Corn Flou Hard Suga Salt

e. res m. beef d tong meal r. brea r. .

. . beef eus. . d.

.

186 On Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. No. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs.

4. han

Apr d ... ...

il Apr 65,5 25,8 ... 201, 40,3 ... 208,

6 il 19 52 300 59 200 242,

6. T 779

ota 540, 225, 57,9 395, 244, 209,

l 942 135 71 1,35 780 486 438 765 11,4

rec 2 01

eiv 253, 91,3 28,9 438, 68,3 30,3

ed. 822 35 84 ... 587 94 8,51 88 275,

Qua 9 020

nti 507, 73,0 57,9 350, 60,7 506,

ty 644 68 68 870 95 11,3 466

in ... 58

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