and trust that they are of such a character as will relieve your mind of any impression you may have received of myself or any of those under my command acting in any way except at Kentuckians have always and will continue to act before the enemy, whether on land or water.

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

R. B. MATHEWS,

First Lieutenant Cobb's Battery.

CAMP MOORE, July 30, 1862.

Major General EARL VAN DORN:

Did not find rations for more than five days. Have telegraphed repeal to Jackson for ten days' more. Get no answer. will your order them? Country exhausted toward the river. Flooding rains made movement impossible yesterday from exposure. Sick-list increasing terribly. Total effective force, 3,600 including Ruggles. I move half the force; the rest in a few hours. If I can gather subsistence and some more transportation, shall not wait for rations from Jackson, but take the chances.

This moment received a dispatch that I can get the rations from Jackson. I may not be able to execute the orders in our dispatch of yesterday, as the climate and exposure are reducing regiments to companies, and it is impossible to get adequate transportation while the country has no supplies. Will drive them to the river, and, if possible, do more.

JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE,

Major-General.

PONCHATOULA, LA., August 11, 1862 - 6 a. m.

Major General J. C. BRECKINRIDGE, C. S. Army,

Camp near Baton Rouge:

GENERAL: Nothing of importance has occurred on this line. I have been making the proper inquiries to find out the topography of the country and habits of the enemy, and find that secret cunning, instead of bold dash, will have to be the tactics on this border. It is impossible to approach him, and we have to await his movements. There was not damage done at Covington, and the affair at Madisonville seems to have been simply a little shelling, which drove most of the people away, but did not injure the town more than $20. The flag story was the finding in a citizen's house an od flag, rather a child's plaything, which they stuck up on the column of the porch, and which blew done the first wind.

A. Captain H. L. Daigre came in during the night with 10 prisoners, captured near New River. He reports Donaldsonville as burned on Friday at 11 o'clock; an insurrection among the negroes in Ascension Parish, and the killing of 40 o 50 of them; that singed Friday the boats have taken down more troops than were brought up; that the Weightman, loaded with the dead and wounded from Baton rouge, was run into by a gunboat (accidentally) and sunk, with all on board, and several other times of interest, which I hive will reach you in reliable shape. Captain Daigre takes his prisoners to Camp Moore. They were the crew of schooner which he captured and burned. He also captured a steamboat, which showed French papers, and was released. He also captured a steamboat, which showed French papers, and was released. He desires instructions in regard to her if again caught. I am not aware whether