hours each night, at intervals of five minutes. I hope you will be able to take it before they give out, for although I have sent north for more, I do not know when they will arrive. I am told that the enemy has nearly all his men concentrated at the upper or northern side of his defenses, calculating on the assault being made there. They say the deserters say there are very few in the lower defenses.

I was under the impression that our shelling only served two purposes-to break their rest and silence their guns, when they opened in our sight; the last he has ceased to do, and they have now become indifferent to the former. After the people have been harassed to a certain extent, they become indifferent to danger, I think, but we will do all in our power to aid you.

It appears that the Arizona has gone to Natchez to look after Kirby Smith, and break up all boats and flats, and when she returns the sharpshooters will be sent forward to you; they are very few.

Very truly, yours,

D. G. FARRAGUT,

Rear-Admiral.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE GULF, NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Before Port Hudson, June 11, 1863.

Lieutenant-Colonel IRWIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General;

COLONEL: I have the honor to forward 13 prisoners to headquarters. Three of these are deserters; 1 came in last night and 2 this morning. The other 10 were captured on picket, on our extreme left, by Lieutenant Craig, Sixth Michigan Volunteers, with about 30 men of his company. He made a detour through the woods, came in on their rear, and cut off retreat, capturing the whole picket without loss, with the exception of the lieutenant commanding the rebel picket, Lieutenant Taylor, who was shot in leg in attempting to escape.

WILLIAM DWIGHT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

P. S.-Lieutenant Craig went round the picket on the right; not by the river bank.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE GULF, 19TH A. C., Numbers 133.
Before Port Hudson, June 11, 1863.

I. 9 a. m. The following will be the general order of each column of attack, assumed to consist of 2,000 men:

1. Three hundred men skirmishing and covering the storming party.

2. Seventy pioneers, carrying 35 axes, 18 shovels, 10 pickaxes, 2 handsaws, 2 hatchets.

3. Storming party, 300 men, carrying cotton bags.

4. Thirty-four men, to carry balks and chess of bridges.

5. Main assaulting column, marching in lines of battle as far as the ground will permit, and the firing should be, if possible, confined to the skirmishers and artillery until the works are carried. The light artillery should accompany the columns, and each battery be provided with pioneers. The advanced skirmishers, pioneers, and storming party, and bridge-builders, should be of the best troops. The advance skirmishers and storming party might be each a well-tried regiment, or volunteers