Volunteers, Captain Randel; First Mississippi Light Artillery, Colonel Withers; regiment heavy artillery, Colonel Jackson; Eighth Louisiana Battalion, W. E. Pinkney; First Louisiana Battalion, Major Clinch; Twenty-eighth Mississippi Cavalry, Colonel Starke; Battalion Zouaves, Major Dupeire; cavalry escort, Lieutenant Bradley.

To the members of my staff, Majors Kimmel and Stith, assistant adjutant-generals; to Majrs. Joseph D. Balfour and A. M. Haskell, inspectors; to Surgeon Choppin, medical director; Surgeon Bryan, medical inspector; to Lieutenants Sulivane and Shoemaker, my aides; to Lieutenant-Colonel Lomax, assistant adjutant and inspector general; Lieutenant Col. J. P. Major, acting engineer; Capts. A. H. Cross and Thysens, engineers; to Col. Fred. Tate, and to Majors Uriel Wright and Wechler, volunteer aides, I return my thanks for the ready and efficient services rendered by them in their respective departments.

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

EARL VAN DORN

Major-General

P. S.- Since this report was written I have received the report of Major-General Breckinridge of his operations at Baton Rouge and Port Hudson, herewith forwarded.* It gives me pleasure to commend to the special notice of the Department the names of all won distinction in this service.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. AND INSP. GEN'. S OFFICE, No. 51.
Richmond, Va., July 22, 1862.

The successful defense of Vicksburg against the mortar fleet of the enemy by Major-General Van Dorn and the officers and men under his command entitles them to the gratitude of the country, the thanks of the Government, and the admiration of the Army. By their gallantry and good conduct they have not only saved the city intrusted to them, but they have shown that bombardments of cities, if bravely resisted, achieve nothing for the enemy, and only serve to unveil his malice and the hypocrisy of his pretended wish to restore the Union. The world now sees that his mission is one of destruction, not restoration.

Lieutenant Brown and the officers and crew of the Confederate steamer Arkansas, by their heroic attack upon the Federal fleet before Vicksburg, equaled the highest recorded examples of courage and skill. They prove that the Navy, when it regains its proper element, will be one of the chief bulwarks of national defense, and that it is entitled to a high place in the confidence and affection of the country.

By command of the Secretary of War:

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

No. 3. Report of Col. Nathan A. M. Dudley, Thirtieth Massachusetts Infantry, of expedition from Baton Rouge, La., June 7-9.

HDQRS. THIRTIETH REGIMENT MASSACHUSETTS VOLS.,
Baton Rouge, La., June 9, 1862.

I have the honor to report for the information of the general com-

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*See Report No. 24.

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