| Headquarters Texas, &c. |
| Houston, July 2, 1863 |
| |
| Liuet. Col. C. G. Forshey |
| Chief Consulting Engineer |
| |
| In obedience to Special
Orders, No. 164, from these headquarters, dated June 18 ultimo, you
will organize a party of one assistant engineer and such hands for
labor as you may require, and proceed to the Sabine River, at the terminus of the Texas & New Orleans Railroad. You will
make such reconnaissance of the approaches to the river opposite and
near to the terminus of that road, and especially at or near
Niblett's Bluff, as will enable you to judge what works may be
necessary for the protection of the road from the approaches and
attacks of the enemy, should he be disposed to siege or break it, or
to invade the State of Texas in that direction. |
| You will locate and plan and
lay out upon the ground such works as you would recommend, and
report the same, with diagrams and full information, to these
headquarters. |
| You will then proceed to
examine the systems of roads and the ferries used in travel from
Louisiana into Texas, as well as the bluffs and fords of the Sabine
River at and near Burr's Ferry and Sabine Town, and in like manner
make your reconnaissance of the kinds of fortifications and the
extent of the same as may seem necessary to resist the approaches of
the enemy designing an invasion of the State from Louisiana. |
| You will lay out and locate
such works, with such topographic details as may be embraced in a
reconnaissance, keeping in view the necessity of protecting such
forces as may be charged with the defense, and for a period against
a siege; and works capable of containing and quartering comfortably
5,000 men would not be too great. |
| You will use your best
judgment as to the mode of defending the important passes, if any
there be, têtes-de-pont at the ferries, or advance works
beyond the same. But it will probably be found expedient to locate
the main works with bastions, &c., at a distance of several
miles from the river, on the
Texas
side. |
| You will call upon
quartermasters for forage and the temporary use of such tools and
implements as you may require for the prompt and thorough execution
of these instructions. |
| I am, &c., |
| J. Bankhead Magruder |
| Major-General, Commanding |
|