two gun-boats and a transport. One gun-boat was blown up by the enemy to prevent her falling into our hands; the other, with the transport, was captured, and at the date of his report General Major was sinking them across the channel. Polignac is now in supporting distance of Major, and the two siege guns and Barnes' battery of 12-pounders will be in position near Fort De Russy to-day, which will make lower Red River a mare clausum. Polignac and Major have orders to attack at once every force attempting to reach Alexandria. They can beat any re-enforcements Banks can obtain. Should the enemy retreat from Alexandria with his whole army they will drive off all cattle and hogs on his line of march. I have a short road through the swamp from Bee to Major and Polignac, so that support can be given. On the north bank of the Red River Liddell has driven the enemy into Pineville, where he is fortified, and has orders to keep up a continual fire of sharpshooters on the working parties at the upper falls, where the enemy is building dams and locks to pass over his fleet of monitors and iron-clads, some eleven in number. One large iron-clad lies opposite Alexandria below the falls. There is not probably water enough in the channel to enable her to go down. Liddell has parties scouting to Black River to prevent communication with Natchez and capture any persons who may escape from the gun-boats and transports near De Russy. Since I reached the front on the night of the 21st ultimo the enemy has been driven 75 miles and fought over every mile of the distance both on land and water. We have destroyed or captured 1 heavy iron-clad, 2 wooden gun-boats, and 7 transports, and have killed, wounded, or captured at least 2,000 of the enemy. All I ask to complete the work is a supply of horses for artillery and ammunition for Enfield rifles and 3-inch and 12-pounder guns.

Your obedient servant,

R. TAYLOR,

Major-General.

Colonel S. S. ANDERSON,

Asst. Adjt. General, Trans-Mississippi Department.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST LOUISIANA, In the Field, near Alexandria, May 7, 1864.

COLONEL: At daylight on yesterday it was found the enemy had fallen back from our front on the Rapides, and an attack at the Lamourie drove the enemy's rear at once to Governor Moore's lower plantation. Prisoners taken on the Rapides were from General Lawler's brigade, from Matagorda; those on the Robert were from the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps, from Vicksburg. Everything has been hurried to the river, where the next struggle and the final one will be. I will hold the river to the last man and last grain of powder. It is draining the enemy's life blood. One regiment of infantry and a small body of cavalry were approaching our battery yesterday from above. This is probably the advance of a heavy force to open the river. Sevena boats reached Fort De Russy from below; three with troops just from Matagorda, the others with stores. Last report states they had gone back. I have made dispositions to throw everything upon any force from below and crush it at once. Enemy is on quarter rations in Alexandria, and is entirely without forage for the 10,000 animals he has there. There is great