Lieutenant-General Smith directs me to
say if the reports of our successes at
Vicksburg
prove to be correct, our communication with the east side of the Mississippi
must be at that point for forwarding and receiving supplies. Under
the supposition the enemy have been driven from
Vicksburg
, he wishes you to have the railroad from Monroe
{Vicksburg, Shreveport & Texas RR} put
in running order as far as practicable; he also wishes you to send
an agent across the river to gather and forward as rapidly as
possible supplies of any kind that may be there for this department.