leaders arrived at Alexandria, having crossed the Mississippi River on or about the 4th instant. Albert Block, private, Company B, Spaight's Texas regiment, deserted from Sabine Pass, March 4, 1865. Reports two companies in garrison at Fort Griffin, Sabine Pass. The fort mounts four 10-inch guns. Two companies also garrison Fort Manchassee, distant seven miles southwest from Sabine City and within one mile and a half of Gulf coast. The garrison numbers sixty-five men. A picket of twelve men is stationed four miles west of the fort on the shore. This fort mounts six guns, besides some brass howitzers captured in Calcasieu River from U. S. gun-boats, two of which are mounted on wheels. Howard's company of cavalry were at Sabine City in March; came from Louisiana. Thinks there are 300 soldiers in the vicinity. Magruder is in command at Galveston. Many troops there. Mr. J. D. Knox, a citizen from Magnolia, Miss., reports General Hood, accompanied by 75 or 100 men, left for the Trans-Mississippi Department April 27, 1865. In a speech to the citizens he said he would not surrender, but would go to Mexico. Did not say that he would again connect himself with the Confederate Army. The citizens at Magnolia and vicinity are in a destitute condition. The surrender of Dick Taylor was received with shouts of joy. There are large quantities of cotton throughout the State. The people are very anxious that the railroad should be repaired, and are willing to assist in the work of reconstruction.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FLANK N. WICKER,

Second Lieutenant, Signal Corps, U. S. Army.

(In absence of Captain S. M. Eaton, chief signal officer, Military Division of West Mississippi.)

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 48.
New Orleans, La., May 13, 1865.

In accordance with instructions from the War Department, all soldiers, patients in hospitals within the limits of this command, excepting veteran volunteers, veterans of the First Army Corps, Veteran Reserve Corps, and Regulars, will, as soon as they cease to require medical attendance, be mustered out and discharged. In order to avoid confusion and delay in the execution of this order, surgeons in charge of hospitals will at once report to the chief mustering officer of the department in which they are serving the names of all soldiers who are now eligible for discharge under the provisions of this order, and will hereafter report on Saturday of each week those who may have become so eligible since last report. And to render fully available the services of all mustering officers within the limits of this military division for this purpose all commissaries of musters and chief mustering officers will at once report to the chief mustering officer at these headquarters the names and stations of their assistant, in order that they may be assigned to duty at such points as the exigencies of the service may require. In cases where soldiers are absent on furlough from hospitals the surgeon in charge will at once notify them by letter to report to the nearest chief mustering officer for muster out, and require them to acknowledge receipt of such notification, and as soon as such acknowledgment is received their descriptive list will be forwarded to the chief mustering officer to whom they report. Should they return before receiving the notification they will be mustered out as others. This