Today in History:

412 Series I Volume XLI-IV Serial 86 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part IV

Page 412 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

since been re-enforced by volunteers and conscripts, and least 3,000 effective men. He has also captured a considerable number of arms, at least 1,500 stand. He has three divisions, viz, Fagan's, Marmaduke's, and Shelby's. Fagan's division has four brigades, viz, Cabell's, Slemons', McCray's, and Dobbin's. Marmaduke's division has three brigades, viz, Clark's, Freeman's, and ----'s. Shelby's division has two brigades, viz, Thompson's and Jackman's. McCray's brigade has four regiments, viz, Colonel Reves', Colonel Crandall's, Colonel Baber's, and Colonel Crabtree's. Dobbin's brigade has four regiments and one battalion. Slemons' brigade has two regiments and one battalion. Only guerrilla parties are reported to have been in Southwestern Missouri about the 1st of October, but a raid was feared through the western counties by about 2,000 men under Stand Watie.

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

A. M. JACKSON,

Lieutenant, Signal Corps, U. S. Army.


HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., November 3, 1864.

SECRETARY OF WAR,

Washington, D. C.:

SIR: In obedience to instructions telegraphed to me from Morganza by the major-general commanding, who is on his way to the Department of Arkansas, I have the honor to submit, herewith inclosed for your information, copies of correspondence between Major-General Hurlbut and himself, respecting the relations existing between the military and the civil authorities within the State of Louisiana.

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

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure No. 1.]


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, La., October 22, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I desire to ask the decision of the major-general commanding military division as to the following proposition:

First. To what extent am I compelled by action of higher authorities to recognize the acts and proceedings of the State of Louisiana in its several branches-executive, legislative, and judicial?

Second. What supervision and controlling power as commanding this department I possess over the acts of the State authorities?

I propose these interrogations because I foresee clearly that in several instances I shall be brought into collision with these authorities, as per example, the Legislature now in session has passed a joint resolution instructing the Government to abolish the finance bureau and the bureau of streets and landings of the city of New Orleans. These are strictly military appointments and responsible not to the Government but to the military officer in command. Again, the most outrageously willful prostitution of public funds and waste of public moneys


Page 412 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.