Thatcher, demanding the immediate and unconditional surrender of this city. The city has been evacuated by the military authorities, and its municipal authority is now under my control. Your demand has been granted, and I trust, gentlemen, for the sake of humanity, all the safeguards which you can thrown around our people will be secured to them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. H. SLOUGH,

Mayor of the City of Mobile.

Numbers 8. Reports of Lieutenant Colonel John C. Palfrey, Assistant Inspector-General and Chief Engineer, of operations March 25-April 9.

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Blakely, Ala., April 11, 1865.

MAJOR: I have the honor to make the following report of operations before Spanish Fort, Ala.:

The Thirteenth Army Corps met the pickets of the enemy at noon of the 25th [26th] ultimo and went into camp, suffering in extending its lines from torpedoes placed in the roads and approaches to bridge over D'Olive's Creek. On the morning of the 26th [27th] a general advance of the army was made. The enemy's line was found to consist essentially of three bastions, one on the south and two on the north of a deep ravine running down to the water battery in a strong re-entering. These were connected by a continuous line of parapets thrown back on the south on Blakely River, and on the north on Minette Bay. Our line was established as near the enemy's works as the ground afforded cover. These lines were immediately protected irregularly by the troops and parapets thrown up for the field batteries. On the 30th orders were received from the chief engineer, Military Division of West Mississippi, to rectify and correct these trenches and widen them all to six feet. The want of tools delayed the execution of these. At the same time batteries were begun for siege guns, concentrating their fire on the south bastion and its approaches and defenses, as this was supposed to be the most assailable point in front of the corps. On the 31st the siege guns to be put in position by the Thirteenth Corps were enumerated by the chief engineer, with orders that twelve large rifle guns should be placed to give reverse and enfilade fire on the left of the enemy's line before the Sixteenth Corps. The same day Captain Van Lien and Captain Morton, of the Ninety-seventh U. S. Colored Infantry, were assigned to duty with the corps as assistant engineers. The Seventh Vermont and Thirty-fifth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry were assigned to duty on siege works. They were divided into four reliefs, which worked eight hours each in succession. The two officers above named and Captain H. G. Palfrey, Ninety-eighth U. S. Colored Infantry, with the engineer of the division in whose front the works lay, formed a roster, one being on duty with each detail in succession. On April 2 tools and 1,500 sand-bags were furnished by the chief engineer. Every night the trenches were advanced and widened during the day, generally without artillery fire from the enemy or much opposition from rifles. The enemy advanced counter approaches connected with the south bastion and detached rifle-pits, the former of which were occupied obstinately through the day. Heavy guns from the water battery