can be dispensed with in the Army of Northern VIrginia, and will proeed to Knoxville, Tenn., and report to Major General E. K. Smith, commadng, for duty as parts of the Thirty- ninth Regiment North Carolina Volunteers

* * * *

By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS,

Assistant Adjutant-Gernal.

[10.]

HEADUQARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,

Corinth, May 20, 1862 - 7.15 p. m.

Major General E. VAN DORN,

Widow Smith; 's House, Danville Road:

GENERAL: From informationrecieved it appears that General Mitchel is advancing rapidly to join Halleck's army. It thus becomes necessary to effect our movement as soon a practicable. Let me know immediately when you think you ocul be inpositon south of the railroad and then when across the Burnsville road. State also when you would have to comence the movement. Ten o'clock is, I think, the latest at which the battle ought to commence. You mut make ample allowance for delays before getting into positon. I telegraphed you to this effect at 6.30.*

Resepctfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUAREGARD,

Gerneral, Commanding.

[10.]

VICKSBURG, May 20, 1862.

Colonel THOMAS JORDAN,

Assistatn Adjtuant- General, Corinth, Miss.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to inform the genral that our defensive works at this point now consist of seven batteries, five below the town and two above. In the former are mounted two 10-inch columbiands, eight rifled 32-pounders, two smooth- bore 42- pounders, and one 10-inch mortar, and in the latter three 8-inch columbiads, one rifled 32, and one rifled 18-pounder, which embrace all the effiient guns for the defense of the river we have received in a codition to be mounted, except two 42-pounder smooth- bore guns that have been sent up the Yazoo River. The batteries above ne4maed are in good condtiion, and I think capable of resisti ng an attack of the enemy's fleet, but I am not sure they can prevent his passing up the river if he should have the boldness to attempt it. Tjhew location of the raft upon the Yazxoo River was changed by the advice of General Smith to a point thirty miles above the one first selected, w herer the river is repressented to be narrower, the current weaker, and the facility for making a through obsrtruction of the river greater. This work is under the superintendence and direction of an energetic and efficient man, and I hopoe will soon be made to answer the purpose itended- of preventing the enemy's boats from passingup that streatm,. Lieutenant Storke of the Engineer Corps, has been sent up the Yazoo to attend to the locationand construction of a battery for the protectin of the raft on that river. We are now consttructing shell- proofs at the different batteries, whichI do not regard as very important, except at one battery, as the men at the others are quite well proftected without yhem. The features of the surrounding country are such

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*For reply, see Van Dorn to Beauregard, VOL. X, Part II, p. 532.

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