shelling Fort Gaines. The people of Mobile are all ready for the fray. Great confidence prevails. The people are satisfied with the conduct of Admiral Buchanan, Captain Murphy, and Lieutenant Bennett, of the navy.

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General.

Honorable J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War.

MOBILE, August 8, 1864.

Forts Powell and Gaines surrendered. Can you spare you any good infantry?

DABNEY H. MAURY,

Major-General.

Honorable J. A. SEDDON.

MOBILE, Monday, August 8, 1864.

It is painfully humiliating to announce the shameful surrender of For Gaines at 9. 30 this morning by Colonel Charles D. Anderson, of the Twenty-first Alabama Regiment. This powerful works was provisioned for six months and with a garrison of 600 men. He communicated with the enemy's fleet by flag of truce with [out] the sanction of General Page . General Page inquired by signal purpose was, but received no answer. His attention was attracted by signal guns. Page repeatedly telegraphed, "Hold on to your fort. " The same night visited Fort Gaines and found Anderson on board the Yankee fleet arranging the terms of capitulation. He left peremptory order for Anderson on his return not to surrender the fort, and relieved him of his command. Fort Morgan signaled this morning, but no answer was received except the hoisting of the Yankee flag over the ramparts of Fort Gaines. Anderson's conduct is officially pronounced inexplicable and shameful.

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General.

Honorable J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE GULF,
Mobile, Ala., August 9, 1864.

GENERAL: While at Meridian on the 3rd instant I received dispatches indicating a land and naval attack on the lower forts. On the 4th instant a force was thrown on Dauphin Island estimated at 2,000.

On Friday, the 5th instant, the enemy's fleet attacked Fort Morgan at 6. 30 a. m. After several hours' bombardment the whole fleet, except one large monitor, which was sunk by our guns, ran by the fort and entered the bay. They numbered fourteen wooden ships and three iron-clads. The Tennessee, and little gun-boats Selma, Gaines, and Morgan were soon overpowered. The conduct of the admiral in the Tennessee, and of the Selma, Captain Patrick U. Murphy, is spoken of as devotedly gallant.

On the same day a monitor ran close up to Fort Powell and cannonaded it for several hours. Five gun-boats in MISSISSIPPI Sound bombarded it a long range. No serious injury was done to the fort besides disabling the carriage of a 10-inch gun. No officer or man was wounded. That night Lieutenant-Colonel Williams (the same commander who in a spirited manner sustained the attack of Farragut some months ago) evacuated the fort, blew it up, and brought the garrison