HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, July 13, 1863.

Major-General BANKS,
Department of the Gulf, New Orleans:

GENERAL: I inclosure herewith a copy of my letter to General Grant in regard to future operations on the Mississippi River, on the supposition that Port Hudson is already in our possession, or soon will be.* I sincerely hope that no serious disaster has resulted from leaving an insufficient garrison at New Orleans. General Emory's last dispatch was not encouraging. But long ere this you will have been so re-enforced as to be able to recover whatever you may have lost.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, July 13, 1863.

Major-General EMORY,
New Orleans:

GENERAL: Your dispatch of July 4 is received.

No troops could possibly be spared from the north. General Gillmore, at Port Royal, was directed to send every man he could spare to New Orleans. General Grant was also directed some time since to re-enforce General Banks. As Vicksburg surrendered on the 4th, he ought certainly to have re-enforced him on the 7th. You have, therefore, been relieved long before this reaches you.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE GULF, NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS, Port Hudson, July 13, 1863.

Brigadier General W. DWIGHT,
Commanding Third Division:

SIR: The commanding general instructs me to say that the Second Division having been broken up, and the regiments composing it transferred to the Third Division, to the temporary command of which you are assigned, the permanent staff of the Third Division, as announced in the orders of its permanent commander, General Emory, continues to constitute the staff of the division. The staff officers of the Second Division may be assigned to fill vacancies, but all supernumerary staff officers formerly attacked to the Second Division you will order to report in person to the chiefs of their proper staff departments at these headquarters. In regard to you Special Orders, Numbers 3, I am directed by the commanding general to inform you that Surgeon Hartwell is the designated medical director of the Third Division.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

RICH'D B. IRWIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*See Halleck to Grant, July 11, Series I, Vol. XXIV, Part III, p. 497.

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