not go back until I send a guard with them. My opinion is that Ratliff wants to secure these men and put them in the rebel service, although he states that it is his intention to punish them.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

F. J. HERRON,

Major-General.

[Inclosures.]

A.

POINTE COUPEE PARISH, February 28, 1865.

Captain DONNELLY,

Commander of U. S. Gun-boat Numbers 54, Mississippi River:

CAPTAIN: It having been represented to me that the parish of West Baton Rouge, the upper portion of the parish of Iberville and the lower portion of the parish of Pointe Coupee are infested with unorganized bodies of jayhawkers, and that they have been firing at the workmen on the levee at Chinus Cubasse, and at the boats on the river; and also that the Federal authorities are not only opposed to this species of warfare, but are willing to suspend operations against the regular Confederate authorities if they will put a stop to these marauders, I therefore send Mr. Alexander Barrow to you to know if you are authorized by the commanding officer to enter into an arrangement to suspend operations on this side against my command for a certain number of days, until I can at least attempt to clear out these parties. I have given positive orders not to molest parties at work on levees, or to fire at the steam-boats, and my authority is from the Confederate authority in command of this district, and these orders have been distinctly promulgated. And in regard to the levees, it is not the desire of our generals to in the least obstruct a people in obtaining a support which the high water would deprive them of. Most of the persons along the line of the river are women and children, and dependent entirely upon the soil for support. Mr. Barrow is authorized to enter into an arrangement to suspend hostilities with me for a certain number of days, and I will send a force and attempt to rid the parish of the nuisances with no other object.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. B. RATLIFF,

Captain, Commanding Advanced Post.

B.

WEST BATON ROUGE, March 2, 1865.

Captain DONNELLY,

Commanding U. S. Gun-boat No. 54.:

SIR: I reported to Captain Ratliff that I understood you to have said a few days since that "if Captain Ratliff would agree you would see that the Federal authorities would co-operate with him, and you would give all the assistance in your power in ridding this section of country from the jayhawkers. " To forward this desirable end Captain R. has sent me charged with a letter to you upon the subject, trusting that he can make such arrangements with yourself and the general commanding the district as to meet the object above referred to. Please let me hear if you are disposed to communicate further upon this matter, and in what manner. If by personal interview, I would respectfully suggest great secrecy, that the parties above mentioned may be ignorant