Hdqrs. Military Division of West Mississippi,
Office of the Chief Signal Officer,
New Orleans, La., March 27, 1865.
Major General S. A. Hurlbut,
Commanding Department of the Gulf:
…………..General: I have the honor to submit for your information the following extracts from the daily report from this office dated March 27, 1865: Mrs. Reiley reports to Colonel F. A. Starring, provost-marshal-general Department of the Gulf, from Bayou Sara, March 18, that the crews of the gun-boats drink and carouse with the rebels stationed at that point when on shore. The rebel pickets demand a tax of $10 per bale on all cotton coming into town. They have taken all males able to bear arms to their camp, one mile from town. Their pickets number about fifty men. It is reported that all troops from East Louisiana are ordered to the Tombigbee River (probably to join Forrest). Lieutenant Curtiss reports from Baton Rouge, March 24, that General Hodge had received orders, from Forrest to join him with his whole force, but refused to do so, and went to Richmond to get the order countermanded. It is the general understanding that all the territory west of Pearl River is to be abandoned for the present. The above statement not only corresponds with the report from Bayou Sara with regard to movements of troops from East Louisiana, but with that of a scout who recently passed through Mississippi and Louisiana. A deserter from Kirby Smith’s army, who has been engaged in the commissary department for the last two years collecting tithes and purchasing supplies, states that in the Trans-Mississippi Department rations were issued for 90,000 men in February last, including rations for those in hospital and all ineffectives. Out of this 90,000 not more than 50,000 are or could be made able for duty. There is no place except on Red River where they could subsist a large army for any length of time. A special courier who deserted from General Parsons’ headquarters states that he saw an order from Richmond to General Kirby Smith directing him to cross his entire available force to the east bank of the Mississippi. The determination of the command was general not to cross under any circumstance. A great many deserters are reported lying in the vicinity of the mouth of Black River, La., and if a gun-boat was stationed there a great many would avail themselves of the opportunity to escape. The rebel gun-boat Missouri, lying at Shreveport, is very strong, but unable to make headway against the current. A report by telegram from Baton Rouge, March 26, states that General Hodge has gone to Jackson, Miss., instead of Richmond. The sub-districts in Forrest’s command have been discontinued by him, and all commanders ordered to report direct to him. The Fourth Louisiana Cavalry, Colonel Powers, and the Eleventh Arkansas Mounted Infantry, Colonel Griffith, are ordered to join him, leaving only a few independent scouts and jayhawkers in East Louisiana. Dates from North Carolina of the 19th and 20th instant through rebel papers report continued fighting on those days between Johnston and Sherman at Bentonville, N. C., in which, on the 19th, our forces were forced back one mile. On the 20th the battle was renewed, and finally our forces apparently resumed the offensive. Confederate loss, 500; Federal loss, 5,000. Report from Mobile through same source March 22 states that a column 2,000 strong is about to move from Pensacola, and another 10,000 strong from Milton, Fla., under Canby; destination, Selma. Thomas is to make a simultaneous movement from Vicksburg. Other accounts place the entire force operating against Mobile and Selma at 30,000. West Point, Miss., March 17, General Forrest’s scouts report 6,000 Federals camped at Buzzard’s Roost, eighteen miles west of Tuscumbia, and one brigade of cavalry camped between Iuka and Eastport. General Forrest has been promoted to be lieutenant-general. Colonel N. N. Cox, of Forrest’s command, and Colonel Alexander W. Campbell, of Forrest’s staff, have been promoted to be brigadier-generals.
…………..I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. M. JACKSON,
Major, Tenth U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery.
(In absence of Captain S. M. Eaton, chief signal officer, Military Division of West Mississippi.)
(Same to Colonel C. T. Christensen.)
- War of the Rebellion: Serial 101 Page 1268 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.