appreciated. It is rather an honor that the army has got the better of the navy in reaching Spanish Fort by water. The general has already, before the receipt of your dispatch, given orders to General Smith for the reduction of Batteries Tracy and Huger.

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ENGINEER BRIGADE, April 10, 1865.

Colonel CHRISTENSEN,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: Perhaps it may not be military or polite for a subordinate to make suggestions, but unofficially I assure you that it is useless for us to be detained one moment by the enemy's infernal machines known as torpedoes, for it is an easy matter to arrange in a very short time, with poles or saplings, a perfect protection to all our boats. This may be looked upon as an experiment, but the same protection which I have often arranged to protect the hull of a boat form anchor ice will, I assure you, protect the same form torpedoes. The great fear now seems to be that these torpedoes were put into the stream above for the purpose of floating them down onto our skipping. The current of any stream swings around in the bend, consequently if our boats would keep out of the bend and hug the point well there would be no danger of striking any of these infernal machines, even where the boat is not protected.

Very respectfully,

J. BAILEY,

Brigadier-General.

HDQRS. ARMY AND DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, April 10, 1865.

Brigadier General J. BAILEY:

I do not intend to be stopped by torpedoes. The moment Huger and Treacy are silenced (and I think hey will be this evening) I want all the transports sent up to ferry the troops across the bay. All the transports at Starke's Wharf will be retained there for the purpose.

E. R. S. CANBY,
Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. ARMY AND DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, April 10, 1865.

Major General GORGON GRANGER,

Commanding Thirteenth Army Corps:

SIR: One brigade of General Garrard's division has been detached for the occupation of Fort Blakely and the guarding of all public property within it, and all other troops now at that place ordered to return to their proper commands. The Second and Third Brigades of General Andrews' division will remain with General Steele for the present.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.