movements will determined the column upon which the concentration must be made. I would call your attention to the dispatches to General Magruder inclosed in my letter of the 31st ultimo.

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

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA,
Pleasant Hill, April 2, 1864.

Brigadier-General BOGGS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of dispatches Numbers 2510, of the 1st instant, and of 2509, of the 31st ultimo. No dispatches to General Magruder were inclosed in the latter. The enemy reached Natchitoches at 2 p.m. on the 31st ultimo. The advance, five regiments of cavalry and a battery; troops close in the rear. Skirmishing with some loss on both sides, continued up to the town. Last night three regiments of cavalry reached Dupont's Bridge, at the head of Spanish Lake. My cavalry was directed to hold Dupont's Bridge to cover my left flank, but failed to remain there. The commanding officer will probably be arrested. Colonel Bagby, who arrived yesterday, went to the front to take command. McPhaill's regiment (250, of which 50 unarmed) and Bagby's regiment (350, of which 125 unarmed) constitute his force. Vincent's regiment is so used up that I have sent it near Blair's Landing for the time to rest. Debray's regiment (510, well armed) should reach me to-day. All other troops Texas have been directed to cross the Sabine at Longasport and join me via Mansfield. The route by Sabinetown is no longer safe. General Green arrived last night. He informs me that he found two officers of General Magruder's staff at the Sabine, with orders to turn back all transportation beyond a limited amount to each regiment. As we shall require every wagon that can be obtained to haul subsistence and forage, I respectfully call the attention of the lieutenant-general commanding to the subject. An officer of General Bee's staff, just arrived, informs me General Bee has been instructed to leave six of his eleven ordnance wagons on the Texas side of the Sabine. Six of the enemy's vessels were at Saint Maurice, 15 miles below Grand Ecore, last evening. Pickets report them gun-boats. They are probably transports with some artillery on board. I have directed the troops of General Liddell at Campti to go down and attack them, and keep at them until land forces are thrown on that side of the river, which is not yet the case. Depots are being created at Mansfield and Keachie, and I am using every effort to get up forage from Blair's Landing, 15 miles distant. The force of the enemy is composed of the Nineteenth Corps, under Franklin, say 7,000; the Thirteenth Corps, under McClernand, 10,000; 6,000 of Hurlbut's Sixteenth Corps from Vicksburg and four brigades of mounted men under General Lee. The whole amounts to 24,000 or 25,000 men. Although these estimates are much below others, I give them with diffidence, not having had the means to force the display of enemy's strength without fighting a battle.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. TAYLOR,

Major-General.