MERIDIAN, March 8, 1865.

Major-General FORREST,

Verona, Miss.:

Send you 1,100 muskets and 20,000 rounds to-night. This is best can be done. Ordered 60,000 rounds to you from Demopolis yesterday via Columbus. Interruption in railroad has stopped transportation from every direction. Just getting it opened again. Hope to send you rifles to-morrow. Will send them soon as can possibly get them here. Also send to-night 1,000 infantry equipments. In fact, send everything we have here. What you don't need can be returned.

By order of Lieutenant-General Taylor:

W. F. BULLOCK, JR.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MERIDIAN, March 8, 1865.

Brigadier General D. W. ADAMS,

Selma on Montevallo:

Captain Vance arrived with yours of 24th. Telegraphed you long since, asking whether you needed more artillery, but received no answer. Wrote you fully in reference to defense of your district. You ask for more infantry than is in whole department. I informed you that Forrest's entire force of cavalry would be thrown into your district whenever enemy's movements render it necessary. In meantime Roddey is ordered to report enemy's movement to you. If you have not enough infantry to garrison more than one place you should concentrate it whenever necessary at Selma, hat being most important point to defend. If Selma is not threatened, forces can be sent from there to Montgomery or other points that may be threatened. You are not expected to accomplish impossibilities. General Buford has been sent to your district to organize cavalry under General Buford has been sent to your district to organize cavalry under General Forrest's instructions. He will report to you. You have not answered communication about organizing employes in Government works. It is important they should be promptly and efficiently organized and drilled. They should, whenever necessary, be all sent to Selma.

By order of Lieutenant-General Taylor:

W. F. BULLOCK, JR.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA.,
Meridian, March 8, 1865.

Brigadier General D. W. ADAMS,

Commanding District, &c., Montevallo, Ala.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt per Captain Vance this morning of your communication of the 24th ultimo. You were telegraphed on 22nd of February that there were surplus field pieces at Demoplis to supply any deficiencies you might have in that respect. Your letter per Captain Vance is first intimation received of your needing more than had already been turned over to you. Captain Vance has been furnished with orders to get the guns remaining at Demopolis. The infantry force required by your letter of above date is more than the entire infantry force of this department. if the lieutenant-general commanding had 7,500 infantry he would consider himself in condition to assume the offensive and would never think of dividing [them] into several garrisons for your district. You have already been fully advised as to the defense it is expected you will make against any