HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., February 29, 1864.

Lieutenant General THEOPHILUS H. HOLMES,

Commanding District of Arkansas:

GENERAL: I sent you be the courier of to-day an order for one of your brigades to be sent to report to Major-General taylor. Lieutenant-General Smith requests me to say to you that the route he would suggest is by the way of Calhoun, Minden, and Campti, the latter place being on the Red River, about 6 miles above Grand Ecore. At Grand Ecore it might be advisable on account of forage to divide the command, sending one portion down the north and the other down the south bank of the river.

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

S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., February 29, 1864.

Lieutenant General THEOPHILUS H. HOLMES,

Commanding District of Arkansas:

GENERAL: By direction of the lieutenant-general commanding I inclose copy of a letter* from Brigadier-General Maxey, commanding Indian Territory. He desires that, if practicable, General Cabell be moved farther west, as General Maxey suggests, to some point near Ultima Thube. The commanding general is not informed as to the amount of forage to be procured in that section, and can therefore give no explicit directions. It will be of great advantage if General Cabell's force can be so disposed as to guard the Line road, while Colonel Gano is left free to operate elsewhere. General maxey thinks the force of the enemy in his front is not sufficient to enable him to undertake any serious movement at present.

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

E. CUNNINGHAM,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS, McFARLAND'S,
Ten miles about Saint Martinsville, february 29, 1864.

Major E. SURGET,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MAJOR: I have the honor of furnishing following extract of report from a party now within the enemy's lines. His statements previously have been found correct, save probably the usual overestimate of forces:

The army will evidently move in a few days. Colonel Landram, of the Nineteenth Kentucky Regiment, is now in command of a brigade of cavalry, and is now crossing the bay. His brigade is reported to be 4,000 strong. They have here about 7,000 men, as follows: Two batteries of artillery, of six guns each; about 900 cavalry; the balance are all infantry, and to be added the 4,000 cavalry coming, makes 11,000 men. But I learn that there are more troops still coming; how many I am unable to learn, but will endeavor to find out and advise you of the fact; but one thing very certain, their instruction is to move upward, and that in a few days.

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* Not found.

64 R R - VOL XXXIV, PT II

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