and was severely repulsed with a loss of 15,000 killed, wounded, and prisoners. The person that brings this is positive that it is correct, but I would not like to give it as reliable.

F. J. HERRON,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DIST. OF BATON ROUGE AND PORT HUDSON,
Baton Rouge, La., September 24, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Mil. Div. of West Miss., New Orleans, La.:

COLONEL: The letter* of Honorable W. H. Seward, Secretary of State, to Honorable E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, under date of August 29, 1864, covering translation of a communication received at Washington by the representative of the Emperor of the French in regard to certain occurrences said to have taken place on the Rio Grande, and which has been referred to me for report, has been received. There is nothing specific in the charges or statements made upon which to make a detailed report. With reference to "the great number of Federals" said to have crossed to Matamoras after the evacuation of Brownsville, I would state that there were not six citizens of the United States left in Brownsville when I withdrew the troops from that place. I had sent all persons, men, women, and children, to New Orleans. Some few Mexicans who had been living on the east side of the Rio Grande may probably have crossed into Mexico, but I know the number must have been small, for I previously shipped a great majority of even the Mexicans to New Orleans - I mean such as resided on our side of the river. I have been constantly in receipt of advices from Matamoras since the evacuation of Brownsville, and had such occurrences as the above taken place I would certainly have heard something of it. With reference to the arms and ammunition said to have gone into Mexico from American territory, I undertake to say in the most positive manner that nothing of the kind took place from January 1, 1864, to August 1, 1864, the period of my administration on the Rio Grande, nor did anything occur that would warrant even a rumor of such a thing. It seems to me that when such charges are made, involving as it does the reputation of officers of the U. S. Army, some kind of proof should accompany the charges, but these statements being so general, I can do nothing more than make a mere denial of the whole. There is neither truth in the report or ground for it.

I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,

F. J. HERRON,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Mouth of White River, Ark., September 24, 1864.

Major General F. STEELE,

Commanding Department of Arkansas:

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following information received from two deserters from the Confederate army, who came into our lines to-day. One of them belongs to the Twelfth Texas Cavalry and the other to the Eight Texas Infantry, Walker's division. They state that their entire force on the west side of the Mississippi River is being

---------------

*See Part II, p. 916.

---------------