morning. Our pilot, who had been on duty for the two nights previous, gave out, and I was forced to take a pilot from the army gunboat Hagan, which was lying disabled and useless at Clarksville.

After reporting progress to you by telegraph, I again moved down the river, but did not overtake or meet any gun-boats until within 2 miles, or thereabouts, of Smithland I met two, and from the officer in command learned that Captain Fitch, commanding gun-boat flotilla on Ohio and Cumberland Rivers, was on board gun-boat Numbers 34, then lying opposite Smithland, Ky., so I moved on, and at 2 o'clock p.m. of the 10th instant landed above gun-boat No. 34. Upon going aboard I found that Captain Fitch had gone into the woods gunning, and would not be back until evening. I returned to my boat, and at 6 o'clock p.m. went aboard Captain Fitch's boat again. Waited nearly and hour, when Captain Fitch returned, and I immediately delivered to him your communication, made a statement of the facts as authorized, and endeavored to the best of my ability to impress upon Captain Fitch the importance of the movement depending upon his furnishing the gun-boats at once.

I also made inquiries as to whether or no he had received any intimation from Admiral Porter that the gun-boats were needed at Nashville; to which he replied that he had not, and owing to the demand for gun-boats to convoy transports from Smithland to Nashville, he could not spare my gun-boats, and in any event he could not send the gun-boats to Nashville for the purpose of convoying above that place without orders from Admiral Porter, to whom he would telegraph, and could probably give me an answer the following morning.

As I feared Captain Fitch would not represent the case to Admiral Porter in its fullest importance, I moved across to Smithland and telegraphed to you, reporting progress, and asking for instructions in case the reply from Admiral Porter should be unfavorable.

Soon after returning to the boat, I was waited upon by a messenger from Captain Fitch, who informed me that it was impossible to get a dispatch through to Admiral Porter within any reasonable time, and asked me if I would go to Mound City with a communication to Admiral Porter, adding that if I would do so, Captain Fitch would furnish me an Ohio River pilot. To this proposition I cheerfully assented as the surest and quickest means of getting an order for the gun-boats. I telegraphed you of this change of programme, an at 10 o'clock p.m. proceeded down the Ohio River, reaching Mound City the next morning at 4 o'clock. I immediately waited upon Admiral Porter on board flag-ship Black Hawk, delivered to him the dispatch, and acquainted him with the necessity of having the gunboats at Nashville at once. Admiral Porter expressed much surprise that the gun-boats had not already furnished agreeably to General Grant's request; he had directed Captain Fitch to send two gun-boats to Nashville at once. Admiral Porter then penned a communication to Captain Fitch, the contents of which he informed me were directions to send the gun-boats to Nashville without delay, and in future to render General Grant all assistance possible without waiting for orders, and to do all he could toward supplying General Burnside.

Having accomplished the object of my mission, at 5 o'clock I moved up the river, reaching Smithland at noon and delivered Admiral Porter's dispatch to Captain Fitch, of whom I received orders to Captain Glassford, commanding the two gun-boats that