The forts have about 250 rounds to the cannon; the bay batteries about 230 rounds to the cannon; the land defenses only 180 rounds to the cannon; the field batteries have sufficient supply, 600 rounds.

I am expecting more heavy guns here from Richmond, and am promised 200 rounds with each gun. If they cannot send plenty of ammunition they had as well not send any more big guns.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours,

DABNEY H. MAURY,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS,

No. 13. Meridian, Miss., January 13, 1864.

I. The First Louisiana Heavy Artillery, Eighth Louisiana Battalion, Ninth Louisiana Battalion, and Miles' Legion, under the command of the senior officer, will proceed at once to Mobile, Ala., and report for duty to Major-General Maury.

* * * * * * *

By command of Lieutenant-General Polk:

T. M. JACK,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MERIDIAN, January 14, 1864.

His Excellency President DAVIS:

General Johnston says to me he has referred the restoration of the four brigades sent from this army to that of Tennessee to you. I think it plain that Grant cannot move before the spring opens, and therefore that Johnston will be unemployed. He can in that case well spare all four. It is now clear that an attack on Mobile is meditated.

My department is large and force small. I do not see how I can do without those brigade, and hope you will order them to report to Mobile. What is done ought to be done at once.

L. POLK,

Lieutenant-General.

RICHMOND, VA., January 14, 1864.

General J. E. JOHNSTON,

Dalton, Ga.:

GENERAL: Your dispatch of the 11th instant to the Secretary of War, in relation to the territorial limits of your command, has been under consideration. This inquiry is supposed to refer to the Department of East Tennessee, and I am instructed to reply that by Special Orders from this office, No. 204, of August 28, 1863, it was announced that the Department of East Tennessee will be continued in its former limits so far as the administrative duties of the command are regarded. In strategic operations it will be subordinate to and a part of the Department of Tennessee. Recent events, however, having broken the communication between the headquarters of the Army of Tennessee and the Department of East Tennessee, so