WASHINGTON, March 8, 1865-10 p.m.

Major General E. R. S. CANBY:

The following is sent for your information:

CITY POINT, March 2, 1865.

General HALLECK:

I think orders should go to General Canby to put Major General F. Steele in command of the new corps formed, which properly should be numbered Thirteenth, and A. J. Smith's Sixteenth.

U. S. GRANT.

E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,

New Orleans, La., March 8, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Military Division of West Mississippi:

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit to your consideration the following report of information received at this office this 8th day of March, 1865: A report from Port Hudson, March 6, states that the rebel force in that vicinity is concentrated at Whitestown under Colonels Powers and Griffin, numbering about 500 men. It is reported that the rebels have a hand telegraph, by which they take off all dispatches passing on the line between Baton Rouge and Morganza. A deserter from the Second Louisiana Cavalry states that there are two companies of the Seventh Louisiana Cavalry at Saint Martinsville, and that all rebel troops this side of the lakes in the vicinity of Plaquemine have been ordered to Alexandria. A communication from Brigadier-General Asboth states he has received information that on the 2nd instant a rebel cavalry force, about 2,000 strong, with three pieces of artillery, was near Pensacola, 150 of them entering the town. Rebels are concentrating at Pollard, and 3,000 have left for that place from Mobile, Blakely, and Greenwood to meet any movement from Barrancas. A statement made by George W. Mader, which will be of immediate importance to the commanding general in the field, is submitted herewith.

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

A. M. JACKSON,

Major, Tenth U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery.

(In absence of Captain S. M. Eaton, chief signal officer, Military Division of West Mississippi.)

[Inclosure.]

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,

New Orleans, La., March 8, 1865.

George W. Mader, late of the C. S. Army Engineers, states that the best way to take Mobile is to take Spanish Fort, Batteries Huger and Tracy, first. Spanish Fort can be approached within 300 yards under cover of dense woods. The works consist of a line of rifle-pits, with a lunette in advance on each wing, and the old fort rebuilt in rear of the center of the line as a water battery. They are on high ground. In south lunette is one Brooke 7-inch rifle. No guns in the northern lunette. The fort (water battery) has three 7-inch Brooke and two 10-inch columbiads. Garrison, about 1,800; Colonel Patton, Twenty-second Louisiana, commanding the fort. This includes all the force in the Eastern Division