STEAMER HARTFORD CITY, Yazoo River, March 2, 1863.

Lieutenant General J. C. PEMBERTON,

Commanding Department, &c., Vicksburg, Miss.:

SIR: I have the honor to state for your information that to this time I have succeeded in equipping but two cotton-clad boats.* This has arisen partly from the impossibility of my being everywhere, and from what I must think the bad faith of certain persons high in public confidence, though not in official station, whom I relied upon to aid me. Another difficulty has been that the quartermasters and commissaries required some of the boats best adapted for my use, and which were so placed that I could not get them. I have left at the works at Camp Pemberton my two boats, and am now trying to hurry on others. The Arcadia is of great importance to me, and I shall send the Hartford City to be exchanged for that vessel. Our works not matured for want of time are at Camp Pemberton, now very seriously threatened by the overflow. A raft is in construction, and the Star of the West, steamer, is there on the Tallahatchie ready to be used as an obstruction. Despite all these preparations, I think the fight for the Yazoo River must be made at Yazoo City, there being no strictly defensive position on the river from the Yazoo Pass to that point. Latest advices represent the enemy steadily passing their forces into Coldwater. Two first-class iron-class are said to be with them, and the ram Lancaster. I have already expressed to you my fears lest that first-class vessels should pass in that way. Their land forces have been estimated at 20,000. That the demonstration will be made in force I have every reason to believe. The Yazoo at Greenwood is now up to the high water of ordinary seasons, and is still rising. This is mainly from the great rain of Wednesday and Thursday last, and may soon go down so as to the enable the defenses at Camp Pemberton to be further strengthened. I shall offer all the opposition I can with the cotton clad steamers, but I regret that I could not get them small enough to enable me to ascend that Tallahatchie. I have failed to get powder to make torpedoes, the ordnance department at Jackson having had none to send me from there. If 600 or 800 pounds can be spared me from Vicksburg or Snyder's Mill I would try to have it used in the right way.

I am, with respect,

I. N. BROWN,

Commodore, March 3, 1863.

[24.]

CHATTANOOGA, March 3, 1863.

Hon. J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

I respectfully suggest the immediate publication of at least so much of General Bragg's report as gives the losses of the two armies and the admirable tribute to the Confederate soldiers.+

J. E. JOHNSTON.

[20.]

DEER CREEK, Near Falls Place, March 3, 1863.

Major J. J. REEVE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 26th ultimo with the private letters inclosed, for which please

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*See Pemberton to Brown, VOL. XXIV, Part III, p.634.

+For Bragg's report, see VOL. XX, Part I, p.663.

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