HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., February 22, 1865.

Brigadier General MORGAN L. SMITH,

Commanding District of Vicksburg, Vicksburg, Miss.:

SIR: I am instructed by the major-general commanding to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 19th instant, explaining the reason why the infantry under Major-General Smith's command was disembarked at Vicksburg instead of proceeding direct to this city. Before the receipt of your letter it was discovered that the error was caused by a mistake made by the cipher clerk at these headquarters. I am directed to thank you for the rebel newspaper sent and for your promise to keep these headquarters constantly advised of the state of affairs at Vicksburg.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF VICKSBURG,
Vicksburg, Miss., February 22, 1865.

Major General N. J. DANA,

Commanding Department of Mississippi:

GENERAL: I inclose you copy of a letter to Captain Bacon, U. S. Navy, at Skipwith's Landing, commanding this division of the Mississippi. Captain Hoyt, a paroled officer, will call upon you and can give you information in regard to this rebel fleet and upon other matters. If there was a gun-boat here and I had any troops to spare I should think the matter sufficiently important to send up the Yazoo to make inquiry.

Your obedient servant,

C. C. WASHBURN,

Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF VICKSBURG,
Vicksburg, Miss., February 22, 1865.

Captain BACON, U. S. Navy,

Gun-boat Louisville:

CAPTAIN: About seventy paroled prisoners were sent in to me to-day from Cahaba Ala. They report that on the train with them from Meridian to Jackson were six large launches, each armed with a 12-pounder howitzer. The boats came up from Mobile and each had a crew of fifteen men. At Jackson the prisoners were detained three days, and while there learned that these boats went up on the railroad north from Jackson and were sent across to the Yazoo River. They could give no reliable information of the object of this fleet and I am left to conjecture. This is certain, that there are such boats and armed as I have stated, and I can imagine not sure they can be put to unless they are to be taken across to the Mississippi at some point probably near Greenville and used to board and capture transports. I consider the information of sufficient importance to put you on your guard. It would not be difficult for six such boats, armed with artillery and manned by desperate men, to lie in wait in some bayou until a transport should appear in sight at night and then intercept her and pour

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