has detached me to take them command of the North Atlantic Squadron. I take this occasion to express t you my thanks for your general courtesies, and also to say how gratified I feel that our o-b operations have all been conducted in the most friendly manner and for the benefit of the Government. I am sure that the same spirit of cordiality would continue to exist between us, for I think we both have nothing in view but the public good. It will afford me great pleasure, I assure you, to be associated with you at some future time, and if this war lasts the chances are that we will be thrown together, when I will take an opportunity to express to you personally the high esteem I feel for you.

I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DAVID D. PORTER,

Rear- Admiral.

OFFICE OF CHIEF ENGINEER, MIL. DIV. OF WEST MISS.,

New Orleans, October 7, 1864.

Apalachicola River and its branches.- Additional information from Mr. Pitfield:

In reference to the Narrows, vaguely referred to by Harrison Lewis, they are sixty miles up the river from Apalachicola City, at the head of the Cypress Swamp, are fifteen miles long, afford abundance of water (over twelve feet) at all seasons. The channel is narrow but not intricate, permitting full speed except at a few very short bends. Oocha Shoals admit easily any boat that can navigate the river up to them. The Cosa River, a branch of the Alabama, rising in the same basin with the Chattahoochee, and running through the same red clay region; whenever the red, fresh water appears either in Apalachicola or Mobile Bays, the latter river can be relied upon as at a high stage of water. It is probable that all the river steamers are, or will be, concentrated at Apalachicola City, ready to carry off rapidly persons and private and public property thee existing, in the event of any demonstration from seaward. These steamers could,in this case, be stopped and captured at Iola by a force coming over good roads twenty- vive miles from Saint Joseph City, which city can be reached from the gulf with three fathoms water. The force ought, or course, to be within at farthest one day's march of Iola at the time the seaward demonstration becomes known in Apalachicola City. Mr. P. has traveled from Saint Joseph to Iola. The rad was at that time very good. Chipola River is navigated by small steamers at high water to Marianna. Saint Joseph's Bay is a splendid harbor for ships. There is or was a telegraph line from Apalachicola City to Columbus, following the river pretty closely.

M. D. McALESTER,

Captain of Engineers and Chief Engineer.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Numbers 271.
New Orleans, October 7, 1864.

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9. The Forty- eighth Ohio Volunteers is relieved from the execution of paragraph 3, of Special Orders, Numbers 270, current series, from these