Hdqrts Depatrment of the Gulf
Alexandria May 7 1864
Col. E G. Beckwith
Col: The commanding general desires me to say that he intends to move on Simmsport at an early movement. He directs that you send twenty day & rations for 40,000 men to the vicinity of that place to meet the army on it's arrival.
There are other things ssid in this message from Gen. W. Dwight.
The Union was using this & cipher meaning, (I believe a cipher code), also as I have found it in several of their communicades as well as Gen. R.S. Taylor's communicades. It too consistatnt to be an error of sort's.
Just wondering what & meant.
gumbojunkie