HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, April 14, 1862.

Brig. General D. LEADBETTER,

Commanding, Chattanooga, Tenn.:

GENERAL: Four regiments from South Carolina, under command of General Donelson, have been ordered to Chattanooga.

Colonel Reynolds leaves this morning, and will report to you for orders. Set him immediately to work drilling and disciplining the two regiments of his command.

Give directions for the immediate repair of the bridge over Widden's Creek. The company should construct it, with the assistance of your command, under the directions of their engineers. A trestle ought to be completed in a week's time. Would it not be well for the Nashville and Chattanooga Company to take immediate steps in Georgia for the reconstruction of the bridges over their road. If the timber and iron work is prepared it will take but a short time to transport and put up the bridges. That road will be needed for our operations after the enemy has been defeated at Corinth.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, April 14, 1862.

Brig. General D. LEADBETTER,

Commanding First Brigade, Chattanooga, Tenn.:

GENERAL: General Smith directs me to say to you that he wishes you to ascertain as accurately as possible the force and movements of the enemy at Stevenson; also that there are three regiments of South Carolinians at Atlanta, which will be ordered to Chattanooga.

He desires that you be particular in getting all possible information with reference to the enemy, as the result of your observations will determine the expediency or non-expediency of an offensive movement from Chattanooga.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. CUNNINGHAM,

Acting Aide-de-Camp.

HDQRS. FIRST CORPS, ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Corinth, April 15, 1862.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS:

You will know that there is now building and nearly ready for service a gunboat at New Orleans, called the Louisiana. The builders are Maury & Fowler. The model is one of the best which has been presented, and was accepted by the Navy Department at my very earnest solicitation some months since. I examined the model with reference to its especial adaptation to operating on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

On this boat I have been relying very strongly, but to be effective it must be commanded by a man of qualifications adapting him to that particular service. The commander should comprehend the peculiarities of our rivers, and the particular work to be accomplished by that boat on