is moving with his command on General Grant's communications between Young's Point and New Carthage. General [J. G.] Walker's DIVISION was ordered on the 14th of April from the Arkansas River to Northern Louisiana. Owing to the distance on the difficulties encountered, they only arrived on Red River the 24th instant. General Taylor, with a force of less than 3,000 infantry, has been opposed to Banks' corps, nearly 30,000 strong. The withdrawal of Banks has made Taylor's command disposable, and, with Walker's DIVISION, he is ordered to operate on the Mississippi River opposite Vicksburg. A brigade of General Price's DIVISION at Little Rock has been ordered to Monroe, La., to co-operate in this movement.

General Taylor will keep you informed of his movements whenever practicable, and he is instructed to spare no exertions in his efforts to throw supplies into Vicksburg from the WEST bank of the river. Had there been any disposable forces, it would have been impossible to have used them between bayou Macon and the Mississippi River, as that country has been overflowed until within the last ten days.

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

E. KIRBY SMITH.

Abstract from return of the First DIVISION, Army of Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana, Major General W. W. Loring commanding, for May 30, 1863; headquarters, Jackson, MISS.

Present for duty.

Command. Officer Men. Aggregat Aggrega

s. e te

present. present

and

absent.

First(Reynolds') 113 1,310 1,619 3,449

Brigade

SECOND (Featherston's) 120 1,427 1,916 3,507

Brigade

THIRD (Buford's) 265 2,639 3,285 5,522

Brigade

Attached. Evans' 175 1,714 2,157 3,798

brigade

Maxey's brigade 294 2,328 2,986 4,187

Total 967 9418 11,963 20,463

Organization of Loring's DIVISION, Major General W. W. Loring, C. S. Army, commanding, May 30, 1863.

First Brigade. *

Colonel A. E. REYNOLDS.

1st Confederate Battalion, Major G. H. Forney.

6th Mississippi, Colonel Robert Lowry.

15th Mississippi, Colonel M. Farrell.

20th Mississippi, Colonel J. M. Wells.

26th Mississippi, Major T. F. Parker.

40th Mississippi.

SECOND Brigade.

Brigadier General W. S. FEATHERSTON.

3rd Mississippi, Colonel T. A. Mellon.

22nd Mississippi, Colonel Frank Schaller.

31st Mississippi, Colonel J. A. Orr.

33rd Mississippi, Colonel D. W. Hurst.

1st Mississippi Battalion Sharpshooters, Major W. A. Rayburn.

Charpentier's (Alabama) battery.

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* Formerly Tilghman's. The Twentieth Mississippi, reported May 29 as "serving as cavalry," and the Fortieth Mississippi, reported same date as " never joined," are not borne on brigade return.

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