latter is immediately wanted. An officer of the Treasury should be sent with full powers. Bonds in large amounts and of small denominations should be sent. The redundant currency could be called in by loans on the people. This could be accomplished successfully with bonds, or interest-bearing certificate, made payable by Congress for Government dues. I do not hear from the Treasury Department, and know not if steps have been taken for supplying our wants. But for a letter from the honorable Secretary of War, stating that Mr. Memminger had or would provide for our necessities, I should ere this have taken the matter into my own hands. If I do not hear from Richmond, I will be compelled to establish here both a sub-bureau of the Treasury and Post-Office Department, and will have to raise a loan from the people on certificates, pledging the faith of the Government to redeem them in interest-paying bonds.

I would respectfully urge these matters upon the attention of Your Excellency.

With respect and esteem, I am, your most obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Lieutenant-General.

Abstract from return of the Trans-Mississippi Department, Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith commanding, for September, 1863.

Present for duty.

Command. Officers. Men. Aggregate

present.

District of Arkansas:

Price's division.* 519 5,450 7,295

Walker's (L. M.) 37 745 1,089

division.+

Marmaduke's 215 1,566 2,271

division.++

Unattached cavalry.# ... ... ...

Total. 771 7,761 10,655

District of the 323 3,722 4,899

Indian Territory.//

District of Texas, 433 6,312 8,211

New Mexico, and

Arizona.

District of West 1,098 12,551 18,122

Louisiana.

Grand total. 2,625 30,346 41,887

Pieces of artillery.

Command. Aggregate Heavy. Field.

present and

absent.

District of Arkansas:

Price's division.* 12,836 ... 24

Walker's (L. M.) 1,956 ... 4

division.+

Marmaduke's 4,713 .... 4

division.++

Unattached cavalry.# 500 ... ...

Total. 20,005 ... 32

District of the 8,019 ... ...

Indian Territory.//

District of Texas, 11,637 4 17

New Mexico, and

Arizona.

District of West 26,712 12 34

Louisiana.

Grand total. 66,373 16 83

SHREVEPORT, October 2, 1863.

Colonel R. W. JOHNSON, Lewisville, Ark.:

COLONEL: I inclose you a copy of my letter to the President.\\ It was written in cipher, and with my messenger crossed the river and passed safely within our lines. As the original has without doubt been received, after making such extracts as you may require, destroy the copy. It, with the copy of my letter to Mr. Slidell, which went by the same hands to Richmond, is too valuable a paper to fall into the hands of the

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*Fagan's, Frost's, McRae's, Parsons', and Tappan's brigades.

+Carter's and Dobbin's brigades.

++Marmaduke's and Shelby's brigades.

#No reports; aggregate present and absent "estimated" on original return.

//Or Steele's division, consisting of Cabell's and Cooper's brigades.

\\Probably that of September 11, p. 1003.

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