without finding them holding office under our Government at posts of honor which have for a moment become so lucrative that the holders thereof fear to miss the golden opportunity, and intent to make hay while the sun shines. These are part of the difficulties, I alluded to in my late communication to you-the difficulties of getting up the river with stores, coal, &c., without proper preparation. I wish we had retained for our own use the vessels we captured and turned over to the Army; and I would earnestly suggest, if it can be done, that we obtain possession of them again and employ them for naval purposes. They were appraised and turned over to the army (I mean the Landis and Buron), I hear, at $15,000. They would, either of them, sell in market to-morrow for $60,000. They are burning up Government coal, for which the Government derives very little benefit. I mention these things to explain the delays and difficulties I have encountered, and intending to have the matter placed on record. When the Army were without transportation almost every steamer belonging to the flotilla was engaged in placing the troops where they were required, for which they obtained very little thanks, and only enabled the Army to put forth pretensions they were in no way entitled to claim. I beg leave to state that by law the Army is obliged to comply with naval requisitions, an act having passed on purpose to prevent delays to the public service.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DAVID D. PORTER.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, No. 51.
New Orleans, July 24, 1862.

The commanding general of this department takes pleasure in publishing the following indorsement from Washington of what he has considered the useful services of Lieutenant-Colonel Kimball, of the Twelfth Regiment Maine Volunteers, and the troops under his command:

The news of the brilliant achievement of Lieutenant-Colonel Kimball, of the Twelfth Maine Volunteers, and the brave men under his command, at Manchac Pass was very gratifying to the Department, and it entirely approves your action in allowing the regiment to retain the colors which they had so gallantly taken from the enemy.

By command of Major-General Butler:

R. S. DAVIS,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

UNITED STATES RAM SWITZERLAND,

Above Vicksburg, July 25, 1862.

Hon. E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I have the honor to apply to you for instructions. Some of my officers and men have deserted their posts and disobeyed my orders at a period of great danger to the public service. I have the parties under arrest, but can find no means, either through Commodores Farragut or Davis or Generals Williams or Grant, to bring them to trial. I have been obliged, in consequence of the great amount of sickness that prevails among my crews, to employ large numbers of blacks, who came to me

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