1,000 suits per week; manufactures 40 blankets per day. The most of the purchasing done for the department is made through these depots. It should be mentioned that Jackson also manufactures about 25 tents per day; they are incomplete, however, for the want of rope. Three factories-the Jackson, Woodville, and Choctaw-work constantly for us, making a sufficiency of woolen goods. They do not make enough cotton goods for the requirements of the department.

Having almost exhausted this department in the way of cooking utensils, and wishing to increase the making of tents, I dispatched Major Whitfield to Mobile, and Columbus, Ga., to contract for a large supply of both. At the same time he was charged to examine into and, if possible, correct the evils complained of in regard to the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. I have, in addition to the supplies set forth in accompanying reports, 12,000 shirts, the same number of drawers, and 8,000 pounds of leather.

In regard to means of transportation, I would state that the Dixie works, at Canton, and other contractors, furnish 50 wagons per month. Harness is also made sufficiently fast to supply the demand. The quartermasters at Enterprise, Columbus, and Port Hudson are authorized to purchase horses and mules. We have up to this time had mules on hand fully sufficient for all demands made upon us, and fully 150 mules remain, and though these are required, being young and afflicted with distemper, they are not of much service now. I have 100 horses, purchased in Tennessee, which I expect here every day, and purchase on an average 100 per month.

In regard to the more important subject of corn and fodder, I have the honor to state that I am informed by the reports of Captain D. H. Thomas, Major J. W. Patton, and Captain [Samuel] O'Neill, that there is now in store in Vicksburg belonging to this department 30,000 bushels of corn, one half of which is in sacks. I have, through my agents on the Yazoo River, already purchased 100,000 bushels of corn, an amount of which fully sufficient for the wants of Vicksburg is to be delivered at Snyder's Bluff. Under instructions, a wagon train of 100 teams is to be constantly engaged in transporting corn to Vicksburg, and, so far as my department is concerned, Captain O'Neill, in charge of forage at Vicksburg, is instructed to ls entirely from the Bluff, and not encroach on that in store. The reports of Major Bennett and Captain Raphael, at Port Hudson, advise me there are 30,000 bushels now stored at that point. At this place and Forest, before transferring any corn to the subsistence department, we had 25,000 bushels in sacks. I am informed by the report of Captain F. Ingate, quartermaster at Okolona, that he has already shipped to Meridian and Enterprise about 20,000 bushels, and that he has engaged on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad 68,000 bushels. Captain W. B. Lucas, at Macon, reports 5,000. I have given instructions to quartermaster and agents to purchase all that can be procured, and I have good reason to believe that our supply will be abundant. I have directed Mr. [J.] McFarland, my agent on the Yazoo, to use every boat on that river to facilitate the purchase and transportation of corn, and I know that, with the assistance I have sent him as well as that he will employ, that he will the assistance I have sent him as well as that he will employ, that he will employ all means to accomplish the prompt collection of all the corn to be procured on that river and its tributaries. I should also state that we have made large engagements of fodder. As soon as the press for removal of the troops is over, we will furnish it as required. I know of no way to supply Port Hudson during the blockade of the river than by sending forward corn for this place. If you direct, will commence this transportation.