posite Vicksburg. Any suggestion from you I wound be most happy to receive. I have not had one officially from the expedition which left Helena on the 22nd December since that time, and am consequently very much at a loss to know how to proceed. i am, however, preparing to re-enforce General McClernand, and can do it to the extent of 20,000 men certainly, and possibly more.

By the same boat that takes this I am writing to General McClernand, and expect to get such reply as will enable me to act more understandingly.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

SAINT LOUIS, January 10, 1863.

Major-General GRANT:

Some twenty steamboats are idle at Helena. Send for them. This river is almost destitute of boats. I have ordered all the boats coming up to be turned back, and have sent an officer expressly on this service. I hope to have the requisite number of boats, but you must crowd them if necessary. All the boats on the Ohio have been sent to General Rosecrans.

ROBT. ALLEN,

Chief of Quartermaster.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
January 10, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT, Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: I am landed within 3 miles of the Post of Arkansas, and am marching a corps by a detour upon the enemy's works. General Morgan's corps will follow with the artillery as rapidly as possible.

A brigade with a section of artillery is landed on the right bank and is marching across a neck to take position on the river, above the fort commanding the river. The enemy's force is variously estimated at from 7,000 to 12,000 men.

General Gorman sends toward that he is moving with 12,000 men from Helena toward Devall's Bluff, on the Whiter River, and Brownsville.

More anon.

Yours, most respectfully,

JOHN A. McCLEARNED,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EASTERN ARKANSAS.

Helena, January 10, 1863.

Major-General CURTIS:

GENERAL: Colonel Colburn leaves in a few moments for Saint Louis. I send by him, to be disposed of at Memphis or Cairo, a few prisoners of war.

My transports will begin to leave to-morrow morning at daylight.

General Mcclernand has assumed command of all of General Sherman's forces at Vicksburg, and has come back to the month of the Arkansas and gone up with part of the naval force under Admiral Porter in person to attack Old Post.

I went down and had a personal conference with General Sherman,