J. B. Magruder to J. B. Magruder, July 17, 1863

Maj. Gen. J. B. MAGRUDER, Commanding District of Texas, New Mexico, &e.:

GENERAL: I avail myself of the services of Colonel Robertson, volunteer aide of Brigadier-General McCulloch, to communicate with you relative to the operations within this district, the probable future movements of forces, and matters in which not only the public interests are deeply involved, but the future of our respective commands is intimately blended.

On the 23d instant, by a coup de main, I succeeded in capturing this place with a small and picked command, taking a large quantity of ordnance, ordnance stores, quartermaster’s and commissary supplies, and about 1,500 prisoners, recovering from the enemy upward of 2,000 negroes who had been abducted by General Banks on his march and retreat to and from Alexandria.

Colonel Major (whom I had placed in command of a brigade of cavalry) had been sent down the Mississippi River from Fausse River toward this place, via Plaquemine, Donaldsonville, Thibodeaux, and Bayou Beeut, successfully and brilliantly carried out his instructions, and, having swept the country on the route indicated, destroying at Plaquemine three sea-going transports, with valuable cargoes, both of Government supplies and private ventures, effected a junction with General Green’s cavalry brigade at Bayou Bosuf, on the line of the railroad, 7 miles from this place. I hurried the two small infantry brigades ot Colonel [Henry] Gray and Colonel [J. W. Speight, the two numbering about 1,800 effective men, and, leaving an adequate force to garrison this place and the forts in its vicinity (which I hastened to put in a strong defensive attitude), I pushed the whole command forward toward the Mississippi River, making -Donaldsonville and its neighborhood, which was strongly fortified by the enemy, the objective point in my movements.

I posted above and below Donaldsonville batteries of light artillery, well supported, and within safe and easy communication of the main body of my force, and had effectually blocked the passage of the Mississippi River to any of the enemy’s transports, rendering it impossible for him to receive supplies at Port Hudson by way of the Lower Mississippi.

I was most sanguine that my operations would so seriously embarrass the operations of General Banks as to force him to raise the siege of

Port Hudson. The unfortunate fall of Vicksburg, followed by that of Port Hudson, releasing from the operations in which they had been engaged so large an army that my longer possession of this country depended upon the sufferance of the enemy rather than upon my ability to prevent him from surrounding or cutting off my little army, I was obliged to commence the evacuation of this section of the country.

Before doing so, however, I determined to fight the enemy on his first advance in force, and, on the 14th, General [Godfrey] Weitzel’s, on the west bank, and another brigade on the east bank of the La Fourche, were met by General Green’s and Colonel Major’s commands. The fighting was confined principally to the west bank, and the enemy was decisively routed, with a loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners of nearly 1,000, with a loss of 4 killed and 25 wounded, in all about 30, on our side. This having effectually checked his advance, I withdrew my forces from the Mississippi River and neighborhood, and have fallen back to Bayou Beeuf and Chuckahoula, within convenient distance, perfectly accessible to this place, and have crossed all my trains and stores excepting such as are needed from day to day.

If the enemy means to overrun and occupy Louisiana, it is within his power todoso. The rise in the Mississippi and Red and Atchafalaya Rivers will enable them to throw their gunboats and transports into the very heart of Western Louisiana; -and if they should throw a large force up Red River, or march a column from Simsport or Morgan’s Ferry to Washington or Opelousas, the only course which will be left will be for me to proceed with the troops now in this section to Niblett’s Bluff.

J have made arrangements to have depots of supplies established on the eastern end of the route from Vermillionville to Niblett’s Bluff. Will you establish depots at that place, and at points, respectively, one, two, and three days’ march therefrom, on the Louisiana side, for, say, 7,500 troops ?

The condition of affairs resulting from the fall of Vicksburg and, Port Hudson indicates most strongly that an army of the Trans-Mississippi Department must concentrate in Texas; and my conversations and interchange of views with you, when you passed through Alexandria, not only assure me of your desire to co-operate in everything which will promote the good of our cause and the service in which we are engaged, but induce me without hesitation to call upon you to carry out such arrangements as { am satisfied you concur with me in believing are necessary and prudent.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,