traffic going on in the region of Columbia, and also of Elizabeth. The general to-day sends you the steamer Ella May, the best light-draught the purpose here, with two brass 6-pounders and 125 rounds per gun. He desires you to place on board a good commissioned officer, with a suitable number of gunners, and sharpshooters, and send the whole to destroy the bridge at Columbia, and inflict such other damage upon this line of communication with the rebel army as will best prevent the sending of supplies to the enemy. The exact mode of procedure must, of course, in a measure, be left with the officer in charge. You will, however, give him most unmistakable orders against pillaging and plundering. The matter of the man Oberman the commanding general will attend to at the earliest opportunity. The steamer Ella May you are authorized to detain temporarily for service with you after her return from this expedition. The commanding general has informed Commodore Macomb of this, and said that "Colonel Wardrop may with her be able to render you much assistance in communicating with the fleet in various parts of the sound, "so that if at any time you are able to aid the navy with her please do so. When the Ella May is finally ordered to New Berne you can retain her guns to mount in the field-works. They are ordered to be invoiced to your ordnance officer. In accordance with you request, the general has directed the ordnance officer to invoice to your ordnance officer six 32-pounder smooth, long, two 32-pounder carronades, and four 6-pounder brass guns, with 125 rounds of ammunition for each gun, and carriages, implements, &c., complete. The horses will be sent you as soon as possible. Captain James' attention has been called to the matter of the diseased animals, and he will take measures to regulate this.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. JUDSON,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, July 10, 1864-2.30 p.m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Your dispatch to General Halleck referring to what I may think in the present emergency is shown me. General Halleck says we have absolutely no force here fit to go to the field. He thinks that with the 100-days' men and invalids we have here we can defend Washington, and scarcely Baltimore. Besides these there are about 8,000, not very reliable, under Howe, at Harper's Ferry, with Hunter approaching that point very slowly, with what number I suppose you know-better than I. Wallace, with some odds and ends and part of what came up with Ricketts, was so badly beaten yesterday at Monocacy that what is left can attempt no more than to defend Baltimore. What we shall get in from Pennsylvania and New York will scarcely be worth counting, I fear. Now, what I think is that you should provide to retain your hold where you are, certainly, and bring the rest with you personally, and make a vigorous effort to destroy the enemy's force in this vicinity. I think there is really a fair chance to do this if the movement is prompt. This is what I think, upon your suggestion, and is not an order.

A. LINCOLN,

President of the United States.