rifled guns and two Brooke guns, 6 and 7 inch rifled. The Nashville has two Brooke 6-inch rifles and two Brooke 7-inch rifles. One of them is on pivot forward and another aft. she is pierced with six ports; she is clad only at each end. There are four blockade runners doing picket duty-the Red Gauntlet, the Virgin, the Mary, and the Heroine. The Mary and Heroine have a small brass gun each. The Morgan has seventy-five men and draws eight feet of water. The Nashville has forty-two or forty-three men and officers and draws eleven feet. The Tuscaloosa draws between seven and eight feet. The Huntsville draws about the same as the Tuscaloosa. Captain G. W. Harrison commands the Morgan; Captain Bennett commands the Nashville. A round battery mounting two 11-inch guns is sunk flush with the water in the Appalachee River. It has six port-holes; it is said to be of little account. There are two large, square floating batteries mounting two 9 or 11 inch smooth-bore guns each. One near the city, the other near the upper part of Spanish River, aground. They are built in the shape of a ram, with forty-five degrees slant of sides and little covering overhead. One informant states that a Confederate colonel told him that there were 20,000 men in Mobile and 10,000 more within twelve hours' march. Another informant states that there are only 8,000 or 9,000 men in Mobile, and that he witnessed a review of them. It is reported that there are two heavily fortified bluffs on the Alabama River; also that Selma is well fortified. The inhabitants of Mobile expect it to be taken, but not without a fight; it will not be evacuated. The two divisions of Hood's army which came to Mobile on the 20th of January last were scattered about Mobile and Pollard when the informant left.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. M. EATON.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Numbers 9.
New Orleans, La., March 3, 1865.

I. The One hundred and eighth Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers, having reported for duty with this corps, is hereby assigned to the Third Division, and will forthwith report to Colonel J. B. Moore, commanding, for orders.

II. The Eighth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers, having reported for duty with this corps, is hereby assigned to the Third Division, and will forthwith report to Colonel J. B. Moore, commanding, for orders.

III. So much of Special Orders, Numbers 5, current series, from these headquarters, as assigned the Thirty-third Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers and Twenty-sixth Regiment Indiana Infantry Volunteers to the Third Division, is hereby revoked and the above named regiments are hereby assigned to the First Division and will report to Brigadier General J. McArthur, commanding, for orders.

IV. So much of Special Orders, Numbers 5, extract 2, current series, from these headquarters, as assigns the One hundred and twenty-fourth Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers to the First Division, is hereby revoked, and the above-named regiment is hereby assigned to the Third Division and will forthwith report to Colonel J. B. Moore, commanding, for orders.

* * * * * *

By command of Major General A. J. Smith:

J. HOUGH,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.