by the James, York, and Rappahannock, and be in Richmond in two weeks.

"God and Liberty."

I congratulate you with all my heart.

J. G. BARNARD.

P. S. -The occupation of Tennesse, as you indicated yesterday, seems to me judicious. Nashville (supplied by the Cumberland), Memphis (by the Mississippi), Florence(by the Tennessee, which great artery gives us control of the whole State), and the subordinate points-Grand Junction, Chattanooga, Knoxville, &c. -give us a grand citadel in the very heart of Secessia, from which we control all the railroad, and are able to march at will anywhere through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, while from the seaports (soon to be ours) we hold all their external communications and routes inward. Can we not subjugate them? I have always maintained that we could, but hope the sober second thought of a cruelly deceived people will render subjugation unnecessary.

J. G. BARNARD,

Chief Engineer.

SHIP ISLAND, MISS., February 21, 1862.

General LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: The steamer Saxon arrived to-day with provisions and will return to-morrow; a dispatch which I wish might be imitated by other vessels, but their charters are generally too much in favor of the ship, her loss, as I understand it, being at the risk of the Government, while there is not much extraordinary risk in sailing to and from a pour like this. The want of a regular transmission of intelligence between this port and the North is so great and the failure in the receipt of letters long due is so marked, that I must be excused in refereeing to this point again as one of particular importance. A regular packet, it appears to me, ought to ply once a fortnight, say, between Old Point and the Gulf stations, and the public be informed of the arrangement. The mail service needs regulating in this quarter, as a means of regulating and invigorating other branches of the service. They are not pushed with sufficient vigor to prevent those collateral issues and perhaps speculating projects, in which direct purpose become lost and dissipated.

Owing to recent rains the island is so flooded that I should find it difficult to encamp more troops upon it. If more arrive soon those now here should be sent over to the main-land, but I have not suitable means for that object. Light-draught gunboats, heavily armed, of which I have often spoken, are necessary. Lieutenant Palfrey, of the Engineers, has arrived to-day, and he will require considerable room for his workmen and material. What from store-houses, troops, stores, and pools of water I am already too much encumbered for any suitable freedom of movement. I have thus far had the services of only one staff officer, viz, Captain A. J. Butler, commissary and acting quartermaster. The Government will perhaps find it to its advantage to send two officers to perform those duties, Captain Butler soon excepting to leave. I would also like to have the services of an experienced adjutant-general.

Some difficulty is experienced for the want of a tariff of prices of clothing, and I would be greatly obliged for one.