HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF OBSERVATION, Ewing's Bridge, Cedar Lake, Brazoria Co., Jan.11, 1864.

Captain E. P. TURNER,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I have the honor to state, for the information of the general commanding, that Likens' regiment is with Colonel Buchel; Pyron's on Cedar Lake, a mile below Ewing's Bridge. Woods' and Debray's commands are in the vicinity of the Caney, from 10 to 15 miles above Hawkins'. There is corn for three weeks in the vicinity of their camps. The works at the mouth of the Caney are progressing very slowly. The laborers are steadily at work when not driven off by the gun-boats. I have communicated with Captain Howe, of the engineers, in charge of the pontoon bridge, and regret to say that the work will not be ready for two weeks. I have assured that officer of every facility within my power, and impressed on him the urgent necessity of the work. The means of crossing the Bernard are so inadequate that any rapid movement of the cavalry cannot be expected, should they be required farther east. Everything is quiet on the beach. My headquarters will be at this place for the present.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. P. BEE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding, &c.

VICTORIA, January 11, 1864.

Captain E. P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to inclose communication from Captain Bradbury, in relation to his torpedoes.

I have the honor, &c.,

JAMES DUFF,

Colonel, Commanding, &c.

[Inclosure.]

VICTORIA, January 9, 1864.

Colonel JAMES DUFF,

Commanding, &c.:

COLONEL: I came up from Port Lavaca, in compliance to your request, and have this to report in relation to the Singer torpedo: In the month of May last, and by order of Major Shea, I placed 18 floating torpedoes in the channel between Fort Esperanza and the bar at Pass Cavallo, but the channel was very wide, water deep [30 feet], and current strong, and I made up my mind when I put them there that it was doubtful if they ever did any good, and the length of time that they have been in makes them useless now. But I have good reason to believe that the fact of their being there, and they knowing it, has kept them out till they got here in force. Just before the attack on Fort Esperanza, Colonel Bradford ordered me down there with all the torpedoes we had here, which was 24. I planted them all about the trenches of the fort, with strings to set them off leading into the fort, and if they had make an assault on us they would have been very destructive, but as it was we lost them. We have 4 fresh ones in a narrow channel in the lower bay, not far