miserable affairs, wanting proper officers to manage them. The infantry has made much improvement in the past two months, but not yet up to the proper standard.

III. Defenses east of the city.--These also are in two lines: First. A line embracing Forts Pike, Macomb, Battery Bienvenue, Tower Dupre, and Proctorville, guarding all the outer approaches on that side. Fort Pike, defending the large rigolets, mounts about forty-four heavy guns, and is garrisoned by three full companies of Seventy-fourth Colored Infantry. Fort Macomb, guarding the little rigolets, &c., mounts about thirty-five heavy guns, and is garrisoned by two companies, full, of the same regiment. Battery Bienvenue, which covers the important bayou of the same name, mounts seven heavy guns, and draws its garrison from Fort Macomb. Tower Dupre, covering a bayou, has not been armed, and is only occupied by a small picket. The battery at Proctorville, covering the terminus of the Mexican Gulf Railroad, is an earth-work, mounting four heavy guns, and is garrisoned by a detachment of non-veterans of the Ninety-first New York Volunteers, about 150. The condition of all these works for present defense is good, except Proctorville, where much has recently been made out of chaos, but is still short of a proper standard. Second. The second line consists of an earth-work on the Bayou Saint John, mounting four heavy guns and garrisoned by one company of the Seventh Colored Heavy Artillery; and earth-work on the railroad crossing of Bayou Gentilly, mounting four heavy guns, and garrisoned by one company of the same regiment; another earth-work exists on the road leading to Fort Macomb, on Bayou Gentilly, but as I considered it unimportant its guns were removed to more important positions. The only approach to the city on this second line remaining uncovered by an earth-work is the shell road to Hickox's Landing; a light battery is all-sufficient to defend this, if ever attacked.

IV. The defenses south of the city consist of Forts Jackson and Saint Philip, on the Lower Mississippi, and Fort Livingston, on Barataria Bay, covering the approaches to the city from the sea by the Mississippi River and Bayou Barataria. The first works mount about 140 heavy guns, and are garrisoned by the Seventy-seventh Colored Infantry, one battalion of the Eighth Colored Heavy Artillery, and one company of the Seventh Colored Heavy Artillery. The second (Livingston) mounts six heavy guns, and is garrisoned by one company of the Seventh Colored Heavy Artillery. These works are in good defensive condition for present practical purposes, but much work is required on them at once to protect the public interest in future. They are now very fairly manned, and their present garrison well instructed, considering the time they have been occupied in them. Second. The second line of defense on this side of the city it has not been thought necessary to arm or to occupy in any force. It consists of a cremaillere line of earth-works similar to that on the north side of the city, both of its flanks resting upon impenetrable swamps. If necessary it could be armed in a short time.

V. Included also in the defense of New Orleans is a work on Ship Island for the protection of a good harbor in Mississippi Sound, and mounts six or seven heavy guns, and is garrisoned by five companies of Seventy-fourth Colonel Infantry.

There are in the city of New Orleans and Algiers, performing guard duty over prisoners of war, &c., depots, &c., and provost-marshal's duty in and around the city and on the lake shore, about 2,200 infantry--four regiments and several scraps--and five batteries of light artillery, the latter preparing for the field. This is exclusive of the force in the city, which has never been reported within the defenses.