at this place. The services of Major Blucher were indispensable and the rank was temporarily given him to facilitate his labors. With great satisfaction I tendered to Mr. William Mann the position of captain of artillery, vacated by the declension of Captain Livenskiold. This mark of my appreciation for his gallant services I felt satisfied would meet the approval of the general commanding. But he declines the commission, owing to the shattered state of his health from exposure at Island Numbers 10; but he accepts the position temporarily, and will command his battery until this emergency passes over, when he will retire.

Captain Willke's battery of light artillery, from Ringgold Barracks, will be here to-morrow. His guns are four 12 and two 24 pounder howitzer, and will add materially to our defenses, but the fact of his company being well-drilled artillerists is the most pleasant reflection attending his arrival. A delay of a few more days on the part of the enemy (which seems probable) will enable me to meet him with satisfactory results.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. P. BEE,

Brigadier General, Prov. Army, Commanding Sub-Mil. Dist. of the Rio Grande.

Captain C. M. MASON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of Texas.

HDQRS. SUB-MIL. DIST. OF THE RIO GRANDE,
Corpus Christi, Tex., August 26, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose the official reports of Major A. M. Hobby, commanding this post, of the bombardment of Corpus Christi. It is with great satisfaction that I call the attention of the general commanding the Department of Texas to the judgment and gallantry of Major Hobby, as well as to the satisfactory manner in which he discharged his duty under the trying circumstances in which he was placed. The enemy brought into action seven pieces of heavy artillery, adapted to and using all the modern improvements in projectiles. Our force was two 18-pounder and one 12-pounder guns, manned by inexperienced artillerists, and supported by volunteers but a few days in the service; yet the furious fire of shot and shell by the enemy, after the first few rounds, served but to inspire the men, and their spirit and bravery are worthy of all praise.

After several hours of incessant fire on our little battery, without effect, a force of about 40 men, with a rifled gun, was landed on the beach about a mile from the battery (which, having but a water front, was not able to resist their approach), and slowly advancing, endeavoring to flank it, the three heavy gunboats being within 400 yards of the shore, covering their advance with a continuous fire of grape and canister. So completely did the guns of the boats cover their approach that the advancing force may fairly be considered as equal to two batteries of 24 and 32 pounders. To charge through such a formidable fire seemed hopeless; yet, when almost within musket-range of the battery, Major Hobby led a charge of 25 men and put the marines to flight. At this moment Captain Ware's fine company of cavalry came dashing into the plain, and but for the peremptory order from Major Hobby in person would in another moment have cut them to pieces and captured their gun; but, when it is considered that this charge would have been made through a flank fire of heavy guns, loaded with grape and canister, at 400 yards distance, and must have resulted in the sac-