HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS,
June 25, 1863.

Commanding Officer at Forts Jackson and Saint Philip:

You must be ont he alert, and keep your posterns closed. It is rumored here that there is to be an attempt to surprise and capture you, as Brashear City has been, and by the same party. Answer when you receive this.

By command of Brigadier-General Emory:

W. D. SMITH,

Lieutenant-Colonel, and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS,
June 26, 1863.

Major-General BANKS:

Admiral Farragut informs me now, as he did before, that he has no gunboats of the proper draught to send round to Brashear.

The Hollyhock has returned. The captain reports that the enemy crossed to Brashear on rafts in the night, landing on Flat Island.

W. H. EMORY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE GULF, NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Before Port Hudson, June 26, 1863.

Captain JAMES ALDEN, U. S. S. Richmond, Commanding, &c.:

DEAR SIR: The effect of the guns to-day was excellent, and leaves us in no doubt at all that the citadel can be destroyed. The premature explosion of the shells endangered the lives of our men in the fort and in the trenches. This is greatly to be regretted, because the fire of the mortars is most destructive to the enemy if the projectiles are well directed. I hope some means may be devised to make their fire effective and safe. Our pickets are in possession of the mound before the citadel, and we hope to run our trenches to the enemy's rifle-pits, and may, perhaps, assault the citadel itself. The fire will be sharp and constant tonight. Our men are greatly encouraged by this day's work. We shall continue the fire to-morrow at daybreak.

The suggestion in your note of this morning is excellent, but we scarcely have the troops to carry it into execution. With a sufficient number of thoroughly disciplined soldiers, enlisted for the war and desirous to bring it to an end, this would have been the surest and wisest policy. It ought to have succeeded on the 27th.

I send you copy of the dispatches containing the news brought by the steamer that left New York on the 20th instant. It is, as you will see, of great interest.

I have the honor to be, with much respect, your obedient servant,

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. SECOND DIV., 19TH ARMY CORPS, Numbers 5.
Before Port Hudson, June 26, 1863.

I. Lieutenant-Colonel Porter, Fourteenth Maine Volunteers, and Lieutenant-Colonel Bacon, Sixth Michigan Volunteers, are hereby placed in