mule meat. There are some here who would not care if gun-boats, horses, and everything are left behind, as long as they could get away, but as they have none of the responsibilities resting on your shoulders and on mine, I hope they may not meet with any attention. I feel that we are doing a splendid thing, and I want to see it carried through without an accident to a single vessel. Please excuse my long dispatch.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DAVID D. PORTER,

Rear-Admiral.

ALEXANDRIA, May 11, 1864.

Admiral PORTER:

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of this morning. I have never entertained for a moment the thought of abandoning any portion of the fleet, and my only anxiety is not to move from this post, but to do all that can be done to expedite the release of the vessels. Our men are at work very hard, many of them [as last night, for instance] in the water the whole night. They have been thus employed now for nearly two weeks, night and day, and they complained very bitterly when the men of the navy appeared to be doing nothing to effect the release of their own ships. It was on account of complaints of this character that I requested Colonel Wilson to wait upon you this morning. It is not impossible that thee may be persons connected with the army who are interested only for their own welfare, and care but little for the interests of the Government; but you may be assured that such considerations will not influence in any respect whatever the command of the army.

We shall not leave this post until the vessels are released. Thus far the representations to the Northern press are most likely made by men who ran away from the scene of action. When men fail to do their duty they are most anxious to justify it by partial representations of facts. Do not entertain any doubt at all that, when the country understands the truth in regard to this expedition, whatever regrets they may feel as to its results, they will not cast serious reproach upon any person connected with it; but even should it be otherwise, it will not disturb me. I appreciate the magnitude as well as the importance of the labor in which we are now engaged, and doubt not its entire success. No efforts of mine shall be wanting to produce that result. I am very glad to see by the Secretary's letter, a copy of which you inclosed to me last night, that the detention of General Smith's forces on this line beyond the time when he supposed he was at liberty to leave us has been approved.

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS, No. 110. Alexandria, La., May 11, 1864.

I. The Twenty-fifth New York Battery, having been relieved from duty with the Thirteenth Army Corps, will rejoin the First Division.

By command of Brigadier-General Emory:

FREDERIC SPEED,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

35 R R-VOL XXXIV. PT III