HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., March 3, 1865.

Brigadier General M. L. SMITH,

Commanding Post and Defenses of Vicksburg:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of February 28, containing information in regard to the Black and Pearl Rivers, also some papers.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. H. DYER,

Captain, and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF VICKSBURG,
Vicksburg, Miss., March 3, 1865.

Lieutenant Commander GEORGE BACON,

Commanding Sixth District, Mississippi Squadron:

SIR; I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of 1st instant in reference to the armed launches of the enemy on the Yazoo, or in that vicinity. In reply I have the honor to state that I have been unable to gather anything more but confirmatory reports of what has already been communicated to you. I forwarded you yesterday a copy of a letter from Major-General Dana to Rear-Admiral Lee, which contains about all the suggestions I am at this time able to make. There is no doubt that they intend mischief at some point, and if you think proper it might be well, as a precautionary measure, to anchor the Louisville off or near this city, as you intimate in your communication. Should I learn anything more concerning their magnitude or designs I will immediately communicate to you, and should be pleased to co-operate with you to the best of my ability with the limited means now left at my command in any measure you may think best to adopt to defeat their designs.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. L. SMITH,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NATCHEZ, No. 55.
Natchez, Miss., March 3, 1865.

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2. Colonel Joseph Karge, Second New Jersey Cavalry Volunteers, having reported at these headquarters for duty with his regiment, will be virtue of his rank assume command of the Provisional Brigade, relieving Colonel S. M. Preston, Fifty-eighth U. S. Colored Infantry, who will at once resume the command of his regiment.

3. Brigadier General M. Brayman, U. S. Volunteers, having been relieved from duty in this district, will turn over all records and papers belonging to the Sub-District of Vidalia to Colonel W. C. Earle, Seventieth U. S. Colored Infantry, who is hereby assigned tot he command.

By order of Brigadier General J. W. Davidson:

A. S. MONTGOMERY,
Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.