Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/451

Rh

,, June 11, 1863.

Brigadier-General, Chief of Staff:

General—I reached this place last night, having left Richmond forty-eight hours previously. I shall leave in a few minutes for Morgan's Ferry, on the Atchafalaya river, as Banks is reported to be using the west bank of the Mississippi for the transportation of his suplies, &c. I deem it of great importance that the most vigorous movement should be made by a portion of our forces against the enemy opposite Port Hudson; and it is necessary that I should give my personal supervision to the arrangements and perhaps take command of the expedition. In my report of operations of the forces in the parishes of Madison, Tensas and Carroll, dated at Richmond on the 8th instant, I gave you the information which had been gained of the enemy's positions in that section. As it was pretty well cleared of the enemy's troops, I thought that Tappan's brigade and Harrison's cavalry force would be sufficient to open and keep up communication with Vicksburg. I instructed Brigadier-General Hebert to have a supply of beef cattle ready to swim across in order to victual the troops. If General Grant's position on the Yazoo now should be shaken or broken by General Johnston, and the enemy should retreat, as they would have to do, from a point below Vicksburg, a considerable force could be highly available along the west bank of the Mississippi; if the Yazoo is used as his line of retreat, our light batteries could only be used against his transports. I have for the present suspended the withdrawal of Walker's division, and shall hold it in its present position until the enemy's movements and the condition of affairs around Vicksburg are more fully developed. As there are troops enough in the lower portion of the State for the expedition against the enemy, who is opposite Port Hudson, it is not necessary at this moment to withdraw General Walker's division, as I contemplated at the time of my report from Richmond. I shall either take