force ordered by these headquarters to report at the mouth of Red River, as reported on 16th, have been ordered to Brashear, in District of La Fourche, La., an emergency existing for such disposition. The regiments sent are, viz, Twenty-sixth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, Thirty-third Illinois Veteran Volunteers, and Eleventh Wisconsin Veteran Volunteers.

J. J. REYNOLDS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF NEW ORLEANS,
New Orleans, La., May 18, 1864.

Brigadier General DANIEL ULLMANN,

Commanding at Port Hudson:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs me to furnish you with a copy (herewith inclosed) of report of General T. W. Shermann, after examination by him of the fortifications at your post, and to state that he approves the suggestion of General Sherman. In relation to the mounting of guns on the river side, subsequent instructions will be given. The suggestion for the abandonment of the old line of works in also approved. You will remove therefrom all timber, sand-bags, and like material that would be of any service to besieging force in case of attempted siege by the enemy. See that this is effectually done, and the material used, if necessary, for the improvement or strengthening of your occupied works.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

JOHN LEVERING,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure.]

BATON ROUGE, LA., May 14, 1864.

Major-General ROSECRANS,

Commanding Defenses of New Orleans:

Having made a pretty thorough examination of Port Hudson during the past three days, the important points worthy to be brought to your attention I deem the following, viz:

First. The old line of works having been recently dismantled, and the guns removed and mounted in the new work, it should be at once definitely decided whether the old line is to be defended or not in case of a siege, because the platforms, hewn timber, sand-bags, and hurdle revetments now there would be of immense advantage to the enemy in the erecting of his siege batteries, and should be removed or destroyed at once if the line is not to be defended. The general in command desires instructions on this point before he is willing to remove or destroy them. His troops still occupy the ground between the old and the new work.

Second. The new field-work, being all that could be desired, if properly manned, could hardly under any circumstances but a sudden and unforeseen coup de main be carried by assault. But a radical defect exists at this time on the river side, no batteries of any importance being set up to command the opposite bank of the river. Had the defenses of Port Hudson been fully considered before the enemy's old batteries on the brow of the bluffs were removed, I think a portion of them at least would have been left there. As it is, batteries on the flats on the opposite shore would seriously annoy the garrison, and this defect in the defense is all the more enhanced