All my officers did their duty with alacrity and fidelity. First Lieutenant J. L. Hallett is deserving of particular commendation for the manner in which he held communication with the fleet for more than eighteen hours in a position very much exposed to an attack from the enemy, he having but a small squad of cavalry.

Lieutenant Abbott, during the passing of the batteries by the Richmond, was in the maintop watching for signals from the Hartford. He was doubly exposed, for the Richmond had got abreast of the last battery, when a ball passed through her steam-chest, disabling her at once. She immediately slued around and drifted past all the batteries. When you consider that the batteries at Port Hudson extend for the distance of 3 miles you will agree with me in saying that the position of Lieutenant Abbott was not so agreeable as could be wished for.

The six officers with Brigadier-General Weitzel were not with us, as his command was and is still at Berwick Bay.

I have the pleasure to inform you that Lieutenant W. B. Roe has been promoted to a captaincy in his regiment, the breast Michigan Volunteers. His commission bears date November 3, 1862.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. ROWLEY,

Captain and Chief Acting Signal Officer, Dept. of the Gulf.

Major ALBERT J. MYER, Signal Officer, U. S. Army.

No. 3. Report of Lieutenant Joseph L. Hallett, Acting Signal Officer, of operations March 10-16.

HEADQUARTERS SIGNAL CORPS,
Baton Rouge, La., March 16, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report that in obedience to Special Orders, No. 1, received from Headquarters of the Signal Corps, under date of the 10th instant, I reported to Brigadier-General Grover, accompanied by First Lieutenant Henry C. Dane and Second Lieutenant Isaac H. rundlett, with their flagmen, for duty at 2 p. m. on the same day.

At 4.30 p. m. on the 13th day of March, 1863, we took up our line of march on the Bayou Sara road with Brigadier-General Grover's division and at 7 o'clock halted for the night at Green's plantation, 8 miles from Baton Rouge.

At 6.20 on the following morning the march was continued for 6 miles, when we again halted at Barnes' Cross-Roads, 14 miles from Baton rouge, where we encamped.

At 12 m., in obedience to verbal orders from Brigadier-General Grover, I proceeded, with my fragment and a cavalry scout, to Springfield Landing, 6 miles from Barnes' Cross-Roads, where I found the steam-transport Saint Maurice, and, embarking, proceeded at once to open communication with the fleet, which lay 3 miles below Port Hudson.

The following is a correct transcript of messages sent and received by me from Saturday, the 14th, to Sunday, March 15, 1863, inclusive:

SATURDAY, March 14.

[Sent off 1.30 p. m.]

Admiral FARRAGUT, Ship Hartford:

My command is at Barnes' Cross-Roads, and occupies the road to Ross Landing, on