neither is a sufficient arrangement made for preventing the moisture in the ground from leaking through the walls.

Service magazines near to the batteries are entirely missing, neither is the ordnance department provided with a laboratory or a suitable place for the protection of ordnance stores.

Island Numbers 10 has no magazine at all. The undersigned found five kegs of powder protected by tarpaulins. The order for the immediate construction of a magazine has been given at once.

The place has no bomb-proof and the men are entirely unprotected against the shells of the enemy. They imagine themselves safe in some small rooms that have built in the traverses of Batteries B, Nos. 2 and 3, and which originally were intended for service magazines.

The ordnance department is well supplied with solid round shot, grape, and cannister, but there is not the fifth part of ammunition on hand that would be required by the columbiads and rifled pieces during an engagement lasting over two days. Powder for cartridges and the charges of shells, shell and fuse plugs and Reed balls are very much wanted.

The right flank of the position is partially protected by a line en cremaillere extending from the Mississippi River to Black Bayou. It is 1,200 yards long, not finished yet, and at the present moment submerged. The high stage of the water and Reelfoot Lake form, therefore, the only protection to the right for the present moment; a protection that will be weakened considerably by the falling of the water.

The water batteries on the main shore and the island will be able to beat the enemy's boats back by daylight. Whether they will be able or not to prevent them from passing by during a dark and boisterous night the future alone can disclose.

The left flank has some protection by the batteries from Nos. 6 to 12, but mainly by the strong current of the Mississippi River.

The road from this point to Tiptonville is practicable, but to any point on the shore below Tiptonville entirely impassable, on account of the high water.

A glimpse at the map being sufficient to give a correct idea of the batteries, their ranges, &c., the undersigned has the honor to give here his views with reference to what he consider the only chance for holding the position against an attack by land either from direction of Hickman and Union City, which may be expected as soon as the water will have fallen enough to render approaches from that side practicable, or against an enemy that have landed from the Missouri shore.

This morning's report the shows the strength of the command to be, infantry, 2,273 men of whom about 400 [are] without arms; heavy artillery, fifty-one guns, 1,166 men; light artillery, Captain Stewart's battery; cavalry, two companies; sappers and miners, one company; seven transports, of which two are used as hospitals; one floating battery, containing eight 8-inch columbiads and one 32-pounder, rifled.

The enemy's force, according to the best information received, consists of seven gunboats, four mortar boats, five transports, two tugs, nine batteries, erected between New Madrid and Andy Riddle's, containing about twenty-five guns, varying in caliber from 32s to rifled 12s, and from 20,000 to 25,000 men, encamped along the river in rear of these batteries.

The whole line from Battery Numbers 1 around the peninsula to Tiptonville is 24 miles long, 13 of which afford good landings to the enemy; besides, a line 4 miles long has to be guarded to the right.

The floating battery placed just below the island could render the