RICHMOND, May 26, 1863.

General BEAUREGARD, Charleston, S. C.:

The Secretary of War desires to know whether his direction to send 10,000 men from your command to Mississippi has been carried into effect. General Johnston reports arrival of only 6, 5000.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

CAMP ANDERSON, May 26, 1863.

Major D. B. HARRIS,

Chief Engineer, &c., Charleston, S. C.:

MAJOR: While in Tallahassee yesterday I received from the State of Florida 137 negroes who had been called out by the Governor. They arrived at the camp to-day, and think we shall now be able to complete the works rapidly.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THEODORE MORENO,

Captain of Engineers.

MAY 28.

P. S.-Not having had an opportunity to send my report before to-day I add a few lines, which may be of interest. Upon a report having reached Chattahoochee on Monday last that the Yankees in sixteen launches were coming up the river to capture a small vessel laden with 50 bales of sea-island cotton, the gunboat Chattahoochee proceeded down the river, but she found the water too low at blount Town Bar, 7 miles below Alum Bluff, their being but 7 1/2 feet of water on it. Her captain descended the river in an open boat as far as Ricco's Bluff, where he learned that the Yankees had come up to Fort Gadsden, 24 miles above Apalachicola, and took possession of the vessel and the cotton, burning the barge in which it had been transported around the obstructions through the Chipola Cut-off and Gum Swamp. On his return to the gunboat, while raising steam to ascend the river again, her boiler exploded, killing 10 men almost instantly, wounding severely 8 more, and losing by drowning 4 more, who had jumped overboard immediately after the explosion. This occurred yesterday at noon. Before sunset a courier reached me from Alum Bluff, calling for assistance. I at once ran down in the steamer your, and reached her in the midst of a violent storm of rain and wind. She was near the shore on the right bank, where she had been hulled in, and her stern it was supposed was touching the bottom where she lay in 12 feet water, but her bow seemed to be free. The amount of damage which her machinery received could not be ascertained, but her deck amidship had been forced up, tearing loose several of her plank.

Captain Guthrie, her commander, was unhurt, but 3 engineers and the pilot were killed. After taking off all the lighter articles of greatest value we have returned at Captain Guthrie's request, but can proceed no farther on account of the violence of the storm now raging.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THEODORE MORENO,

Captain of Engineers.