HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Post Arkansas, January 14, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding Department of the Tennessee:

GENERAL: I have all the prisoners embarked for Saint Louis, Mo. to exchange for sending them are these: 1st, I have received no orders to exchange them; 2d, the headquarters of the commissioner for the exchange of prisoners is there; 3d, it would seem to me criminal to send the prisoners to Vicksburg if they may be properly sent elsewhere. To send them there would be to re-enforce a place with several thousand prisoners at the movement we are trying to reduce it.

I would sail from here to Little Rock and reduce that place but for want of sufficient water in the channel of the Arkansas River.

This being the case I will proceed, as soon as I have completed the demolition of the enemy's works here, to Napoleon, by which time I hope to hear from your.

Your obedient servant,

JOHN A. McCLERNAND,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Post of Arkansas, January 14, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding Department of the Tennessee:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt this moment of your dispatch of the 10th instant, and hasten to say that in former dispatches I informed you of the repulse of the Mississippi River Expedition, under General Sherman, near Vicksburg; of my assuming command on the 4th instant at Miliken's Bend: of my departure from that place on the same day; of my arrival at the month of White River, and subsequently at Notrib's Landing, near this place; and of my attack upon and reduction of the Post Arkansas, on the 11th instant. I am left to infer that these dispatches had not reached you on the 10th instant, but doubtless some if not all of them have reached you since that date.

I have only to add now, in view of dispatch, that although I had hoped to be able to push my successes farther in this direction I will immediately return with my command to Napoleon, on the Mississippi River, and, unless otherwise ordered, after such brief delay as may be necessary, will return from there to Miliken's Bend or some other point near Vicksburg by you unless sooner joined by them.

In compliance with your instructions I have requested Rear-Admiral Porter to send a gunboat to Memphis to convoy the transport upon which will be borne the re-enforcements on their way to join me.

General Fisk's brigade sent by you under orders to join me, was diverted by General Gorman, as I am informed to-day, up the White River. If I can get a gunboat I will immediately send an order for the brigade to join me at Napoleon or wheresoever it may find me.

I am glad to be informed by you that you have anticipated the wants of my command by ordering commissary, ordnance, and other stores to be sent to it. I may say, however, that before leaving the Mississippi River for this place I had dispatched officers connected with each of these departments for such stores.

36 R R-VOL XVII, PT II