mostly foreigners, numbering about 300 men and commanded by Colonel Cayce; a regiment of boys called the First Alabama Reserves, about 600 strong, commanded by Colonel Withers [Huger], and a battalion of the First Louisiana Heavy Artillery; do not know its strength. Maury's cavalry of 800, and Brooks' cavalry company, from 80 to 100 strong, doing provost guard duty. Off the city, above the obstructions, are the iron-clads Nashville (six guns), Huntsville (three guns), one other iron-clad similar to the Huntsville (three guns), and three small blockade-runners built in Europe (Scotland), with light artillery on board. There is one 15-inch gun at the light-house battery, nine guns at the Pinto Battery, and at least nine guns in the Spanish Fort; batteries Huger and Tracy, on the Applachee River, are mounted; do not know the number of guns. Below the batteries are obstructions from shore to shore. The forts on Blakely River are not finished, and no guns mounted. If the batteries on the Appalachee River are reduced, boats of four-feet draft can ascend to the Tensas, and coming down that river in rear of the Spanish Fort, ascend the Spanish River, enter the Mobile River, and descend to the city without meeting any land batteries. The Mobile and Ohio Railroad is not guarded for five miles from the city. Tensas Landing, the terminus of the Mobile and Montgomery Railroad, is not guarded, nor is the machine-shop, half a mile from the river. The first rebel force I met on the railroad toward Pollard was a regiment of cavalry at Canoe Station, from which place there is not a soldier until you arrive at Pollard. Pollard was guarded only by a small force of infantry, the larger portion of General Clanton's troops having left lately toward Montgomery. Hood's army, 12,000 strong, passed Mobile up to Montgomery; some say that they went to South Carolina, others that they are at Montgomery. Dick Taylor was in command; Hood has resigned. Two steamers leave Mobile daily for Tensas Landing at 7 a.m. and 12 m., reaching Tensas at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Trains leave at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and arrive at Pollard at 2.30 and 8.30 p.m. Flour, $500 per barrel; shoes, $150 to $275 per pair; homespun, worn before the war by negroes, $25 per yard; whisky, $175 to $200 per gallon.

FEBRUARY 20, 1865.

James Taylor, quartermaster-sergeant Company C, First Florida Cavalry, reports as follows: George Thomas informs me that a contraband trade is going on between the people of Warrington and Woolsey and the rebels in Walton County, Fla. A refugee named Lauray, living on the mainland this side of East Pass, receives in skiffs ammunition and a large quantity of things. Calvin Holley, a refugee who has taken the oath of allegiance here and returned to rebeldom, has established a regular wagon train carrying those goods from Lauray's place into Coffee County, Ala. They are paid in hard money, and also receive in exchange factory thread in five-pound bundles.

Statement of Adam Hollinger, sergeant, First Florida Cavalry.

FEBRUARY 18, 1865.

Left Blakely, Ala., on the 16th instant and came by Greenwood, fifteen miles this side Blakely, to the Perdido Mills, where he crossed the river on logs. There are 500 infantry at Blakely, a battalion two miles this side on the road to the Perdido Mills, and 500 cavalry at Greenwood, with pickets at Widow Sticks' and the Perdido Mills. One battalion of cavalry is guarding the railroad at Canoe Creek Station.