JACKSON, December 30, 1862.

JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President Confederate States, Mobile:

General Van Dorn thinks the immediate appointment of Cols. W. H. Jackson and F. C. Armstrong as brigadier-generals very important. Brigades are now commanded by incompetent officers. May they be put on duty as such? About 6,000 muskets were destroyed at Holly Springs with the large depot of ammunition and provision of Grant's army. Prisoners, about 2,000; 1,000 revelers.

J. E. JOHNSTON,

General.

VAUGHAN'S STATION, December 30, 1862.

Lieutenant-General PEMBERTON:

Have just received telegram of this date. Will move on Yazoo City as soon as possible. Have no transportation. Have sent to Captain Brown for wagons. Will telegraph my departure from this place.

LOUIS HEBERT,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS, &C.,
Grenada, December 30, 1862.

Lieutenant General J. C. PEMBERTON,

Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: I send you the recent reports of scouts. The enemy are at this time on the Tallahatchie; they do not seem to be moving beyond that river; their scouts are on this side. In addition to the statements heretofore forwarded of scouts from the vicinity of Yazoo Pass, I have the following statement from a Mr. Pearce, who resides 14 miles east of Friar's Point and 18 miles south of General Alcorn's, and vouched for as a reliable man.

He states that he left home on Sunday morning, the 28th; that there were 3,000 of the enemy's cavalry encamped opposite Alcorn's, thence tom Barron's place. There were also twelve pieces of artillery, between 500 to 1,000 infantry, at Friar's Point. The Coldwater road is not all block, add, nor there any timber felled in the Yazoo Pass. The cavalry and artillery have been camped at Alsorn's since Thursday, 25th. Said they were waiting for the infantry to join them, to move in force.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. LORING,

Major-General, Commanding.

VICKSBURG, December 31, 1862.

Major-General VAN DORN, Grenada, Miss.:

Want 2,000 cavalry to move immediately in the direction of Snyder's Mill. Unless you have information of the enemy's movement toward Grenada, which I do not suppose to be the case, move as rapidly as possible.

J. C. PEMBERTON,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.